BioDiem teams for US research on eye disease

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) has partnered with Foundation Fighting Blindness in the US to test eye disease therapeutic BDM-E in preclinical models of retinitis pigmentosa.

The company has entered into a research agreement with the Maryland-based Foundation's National Neurovision Research Institute, as well as the University of Miami in Florida, for the pre-clinical study.

The study will take place at the Institute's pre-clinical assessment centre at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and study the application of BDM-E in models of a disease similar to retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited eye disorder characterised by progressive degeneration of light receptor cells in the retina. This causes night and peripheral vision to diminish over time, and eventually causes blindness.

The condition is estimated to affect between one in every 3,000-5,000 people.

There is currently no known cure for the disorder, and no therapies that can prevent retinal degeneration or restore vision lost. The only established therapy – vitamin A supplementation – merely slows disease progression in a subgroup of patients.

But BDM-E, a tetrapeptide compound, was granted orphan drug designation for the disorder by the US FDA in September 2010. The compound has also shown promise at treating retinal diseases in prior pre-clinical studies.

Peptide supplier Mimotropes will manufacture BDM-E for the research collaboration.

BioDiem also revealed it has submitted a new provisional patent covering BDM-E analogues, based on characterisation research conducted in Australia and overseas.

The company expects the research work and its patent protection efforts to strengthen the company's position during the eventual search for a deal to out-license or sell the BDM-E assets.

BioDiem is also the developer of the Live Attenuated Influenza Virus (LAIV), which is used in an intranasal vaccine for seasonal and pandemic influenza.

Earlier this month, the company commenced a collaboration with France-based VIVALIS to research the development of new viral vectors by using LAIV and a VIVALIS cell line as a basis.

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) shares were trading unchanged as of 2:30pm on Wednesday at $0.077.