R-Tech Ueno: Notification of Collaborative Study with Tohoku University on a New Drug Delivery System for Unoprostone
TOKYO, Jul 12, 2012 -- We are pleased to announce that R-Tech Ueno (jasdaq:4573) will conduct a collaborative study with Tohoku University, a national university corporation, to develop a drug delivery system for Isopropyl Unoprostone (hereinafter referred to as Unoprostone), a compound made by R-Tech Ueno, using a sustained drug delivery system device (patent pending:International Publication No. WO2011/021594) invented by the study team of Prof. Toshiaki Abe M.D. et al., Division of Clinical Cell Therapy, United Centers for Advanced Research and Translational Medicine, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine.
Unlike conventional devices that are inserted into the eye, this new device is a minimally-invasive transscleral drug delivery system that is attached to the sclera, and does not require vitreous surgery. A phase II clinical study of frequent instillations (2 drops per instillation, twice a day) of UF-021 (Unoprostone) Eye Drops, which are under development at our company for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, (Note 1) has been completed. We consider that if the unoprostone drug delivery system is realized, the treatment with unoprostone will become feasible in patients with retinitis pigmentosa in whom frequent instillation is difficult. We also consider that the expanded indication of unoprostone as a treatment drug for atrophic age-related macular degeneration (Note 2), for which there is currently no effective therapy, may become possible. We hope to pursue this collaborative study with Prof. Abe's study team at Tohoku University to confirm the efficacy of the above-mentioned preparation in humans in the future.
Note that this collaborative study will have a slight influence on the financial results of R-Tech Ueno for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013.