Encinitas, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 12, 2025) - Kiora Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: KPRX), ("Kiora" or the "Company") announced their abstract of a preclinical study of KIO-104 in a proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) model was accepted for poster presentation at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Salt Lake City, UT, May 4-8, 2025. The findings support KIO-104 as a promising therapeutic candidate for both the prevention and treatment of PVR.
The presentation, titled, "KIO-104, a novel small molecule inhibitor of DHODH, effectively prevents proliferative vitreoretinopathy in a rabbit model," will be presented by Romana Seda-Zehetner, MSc MSc Tox, Kiora's Director, Preclinical Development. The study evaluated the effect of KIO-104 at multiple dose levels on the reduction of both scar formation and magnitude in an established model of retinal detachment. Clinically, PVR is characterized by scar formation and subsequent retinal detachment. This complication of retinal surgery and/or eye trauma is believed to be driven by abnormal levels of inflammation and proliferation of cells normally involved in retinal tissue repair and can lead to repeated retinal detachments and progressive loss of vision. There are currently no available approved treatment options for PVR.
KIO-104 is a small molecule DHODH inhibitor that works by suppressing T cell division and function. Suppressing T cells in PVR could provide a novel approach to reducing or eliminating inflammation that often leads to scar formation. KIO-104 is being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with macular edema, an inflammation driven condition secondary to several conditions including diabetic retinopathy and posterior non-infectious uveitis.
Presentation details:
Presentation #: 218 - A0485 Session Title: Vitreoretinal surgery and retinal detachment I Date: May 4, 2025 Time: 8:00 AM to 9:45 AM Mountain Standard Time
About Kiora Pharmaceuticals
Kiora Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing advanced therapies for retinal disease. We target critical pathways underlying retinal diseases using innovative small molecules to slow, stop, or restore vision loss. KIO-301 is being developed for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, choroideremia, and Stargardt disease. It is a molecular photoswitch that has the potential to restore vision in patients with inherited and/or age-related retinal degeneration. KIO-104 is being developed for the treatment of retinal inflammation. It is a next-generation, non-steroidal, immuno-modulatory, and small-molecule inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH).
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Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this press release are "forward-looking" and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These "forward-looking" statements include statements relating to, among other things, Kiora's ability to execute on development and commercialization efforts and other regulatory or marketing approval efforts pertaining to Kiora's development-stage products, including KIO-104 and KIO-301, as well as the success thereof, with such approvals or success may not be obtained or achieved on a timely basis or at all, the sufficiency of existing cash on hand to fund operations for specific periods, the projected cash runway, the ability to timely complete planned initiatives for 2024, including phase 2 clinical development of KIO-301 and KIO-104, the potential for KIO-301 to be the first treatment options for patients with inherited degenerative diseases like RP, Kiora's plans to further fund development of KIO-104, the potential for KIO-104 to reduce inflammation, the timing of topline results from clinical trials of KIO-104, the potential for KIO-104 to apply to other retinal inflammatory diseases, the anticipated readout dates for Kiora's clinical trials and their likelihood of success, and expected trends for research and development and general and administrative spending in 2024. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from the statements set forth in this press release the ability to conduct clinical trials on a timely basis, market and other conditions and certain risk factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Kiora's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 25, 2024 or described in Kiora's other public filings including on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 8, 2024. Kiora's results may also be affected by factors of which Kiora is not currently aware. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Kiora expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to such statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any changes in the events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.
