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Q BioMed licenses novel biomarker for monitoring glaucoma severity from Washington University

Last updated: 10:46 11 Mar 2019 EDT, First published: 10:27 11 Mar 2019 EDT

A woman undergoing an eye examination
The New York biotech accelerator and development firm speeds up the monetization of biomedical technologies through collaborative partnerships with top researchers

Q BioMed Inc (OTCMKTS:QBIO) announced Monday that it plans to license a novel biomarker for monitoring glaucoma severity and progression from Washington University, in St Louis, Missouri.

Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve which is vital for vision. This damage is often caused by abnormally high pressure in the eye.

Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the world, affecting 60 million people. The disease often begins silently, with peripheral vision loss that occurs so gradually that it can go unnoticed. Over time, central vision becomes affected, which can mean substantial damage already has occurred before any aggressive therapy begins.

READ: Wall Street analyst kicks off Q BioMed coverage with ‘buy’ rating and punchy US$16 price target

The New York biotech accelerator and development firm said it has exercised an option to exclusively license GDF15, a diagnostic marker for determining the severity of glaucoma. The biomarker will help physicians to make better treatment decisions, said the company.

Currently, no single eye exam or diagnostic test is able to accurately predict disease progression. Accurate monitoring for disease progression is critical to preserve visual function in glaucoma patients. Today, physicians only have surrogate measures to evaluate glaucomatous neurodegeneration.

GDF15 represents an attractive biomarker for glaucoma with distinct advantages including early detection, over conventional clinical tests and has the potential to be “a first-in-class diagnostic test,” said the company.

While conducting experiments on mouse models, Dr Rajendra Apte, the Paul A Cibis Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, at Washington University and his colleagues identified a molecule in the eye called growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), noting that the levels of the molecule increased as the animals aged and developed optic nerve damage.

Pathbreaking discovery

“Dr Apte’s discovery and invention of GDF15 to detect the severity and progression of glaucoma is groundbreaking,” said Q BioMed CEO Denis Corin. “Completing this license is the first step in Q BioMed’s long-term commitment to provide a full set of clinical tools to support the treatment of glaucoma.”

Q BioMed and its technology partner Mannin Research Inc are currently developing MAN-01, a small molecule therapeutic with a novel mechanism of action, to treat primary open-angle glaucoma, a subset of glaucoma which is the most common cause of irreversible blindness.  

The company said that by offering both a diagnostic and a therapeutic, Q BioMed is addressing the needs of both “patients and physicians, as well as bringing innovation” to the glaucoma market.

“The use of GDF15 as a diagnostic tool to measure the severity and progression of glaucoma nicely complements our MAN-01 program for the treatment of glaucoma,” said Mannin Research CEO Dr George N Nikopoulos. “Our team is excited by the potential game-changing impact that Dr Apte’s invention will have on the practice of treating glaucoma.”

Q BioMed accelerates the monetization of biomedical technologies through collaborative partnerships with top researchers. The company has several drug candidates, with the Food and Drug Administration having already approved its non-opioid drug Metastron, which relieves cancer bone pain. It is expected to generate revenues in 2019, with Metastron also approved for sale in 21 other countries.

Contact Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter@UttaraProactive 

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