Approved complement-targeted intravitreal therapies primarily demonstrate anatomical benefits, but consistent preservation of meaningful visual function remains difficult.
Pipeline
EG103
Vision-Preserving Gene Therapy for Geographic Atrophy
EG103
| Indication | Developmental stage | Transgene | Injection route | Serotype |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry AMD (Geographic Atrophy) | Preclinical | TAFA4 | TBD | TBD |
About dry AMD (Geographic atrophy)
Dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) is a chronic, progressive retinal disease threatening central vision. GA represents its advanced stage, characterized by progressive degeneration of the RPE and photoreceptors.
Historically viewed through an RPE-centric lens, recent studies emphasize that photoreceptor degeneration extends beyond established atrophy, reinforcing the need to preserve retinal integrity outside the atrophic lesion.
The Challenge of Current Therapies
Our Approach: EG103
Current therapeutic approaches for geographic atrophy (GA) associated with dry AMD primarily focus on anatomical outcomes, such as slowing lesion expansion. While these represent progress, patients and clinicians continue to face a critical gap: the lack of meaningful, day-to-day functional visual benefit, heavily compounded by the physical and logistical burden of chronic, repeated intravitreal injections. To address these profound unmet needs, we developed EG103, an investigational AAV gene therapy designed to shift the treatment paradigm. Instead of merely delaying anatomical decline, EG103 aims to durably preserve practical visual function by directly targeting retinal synaptic dysfunction and remodeling—the fundamental contributors to vision loss in GA.
EG103 is built on a differentiated "synaptic support" hypothesis, introducing TAFA4 as a novel therapeutic gene. Following a single administration, the therapy utilizes a clinically precedented AAV vector to drive sustained, localized expression of TAFA4 directly within the retina. This innovative design is specifically optimized to achieve robust therapeutic activity at a low vector dose, deliberately mitigating the risk of dose-related inflammation and other adverse events. By providing enduring functional support from a one-time treatment, EG103 reshapes the long-term management of dry AMD, offering patients a lasting solution that bridges the functional gap and eliminates the reliance on frequent repeat dosing.
