Vantage Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of diabetic eye diseases. The company announced that it has scheduled a patient for the first time in its Phase 2 clinical study evaluating VX-01. VX-01 is an oral medication used to treat non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).

Diabetic retinopathy affects more than 100 million people worldwide and is one of the leading causes of blindness in working-age adults. If left untreated, NPDR can lead to a more severe condition of diabetic eye disease, increasing the risk of vision impairment.

This milestone marks a significant step forward in the clinical development of VX-01, which may be the first oral treatment for the disease, targeting the inflammatory mechanisms that contribute to the exacerbation of NPDR.

Alek Safarian, Co-Founder and Chairman of Vantage Biosciences, said, "We are pleased to schedule patients to take their medications in the important Phase 2 study, which is to evaluate the use of VX-01 as an early intervention for diabetic retinopathy. VX-01 targets the early stages of the disease and has the potential to slow down diabetic retinopathy or prevent it from becoming severe, thereby reducing the likelihood that patients will need invasive treatment in the future."

The company is currently conducting Phase 2 studies at 27 locations in the United States, Australia and several countries in Southeast Asia, which is expected to be completed in 2027.