10114688Novel AMD Treatment via Topical Nanocin Delivery of Anti-VEGFClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major public health challenge that affects millions of older adults worldwide, causing irreversible vision loss, reducing quality of life. The standard of care is to administer anti-VEGF antibodies by injections into the eye, which are effective in slowing down the progression of the disease but have several drawbacks. These include the invasiveness, pain, cost, and risk of injection-associated complications, as well as the high demand on the NHS resources and personnel, requiring frequent and sterile administration by trained professionals. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative, needle-free treatments for AMD that can overcome these limitations and offer better outcomes for patients and healthcare systems. Tecrea Ltd, a UK-based SME with a patented and versatile platform technology for the enhanced delivery of biologics, with the support of Innovate UK, proposes a project that will develop a novel and needle-free treatment for AMD. This will be achieved by using Tecrea's Nanocin(tm) technology, which consists of polymeric nanoparticles ("polyplexes") that can enhance the delivery of biologics such as anti-VEGF antibodies, across biological barriers such as the cornea and sclera, and into the vitreous (the gel-like fluid in the eye), where they can exert their therapeutic effect. The Nanocin(tm) technology has already been proven to be safe and effective for use in the eye and offers several advantages over other delivery methods, such as being non-invasive, easy to use, and cost-effective. The project will conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on the anti-VEGF:Nanocin(tm) formulation. If successful, the project will deliver a groundbreaking and needle-free treatment for AMD that will improve the vision and quality of life of millions of patients in the UK and worldwide and reduce the burden and costs of the disease for the NHS and other healthcare systems. The project will also demonstrate the potential and applicability of Nanocin(tm) technology for other ocular diseases that require intravitreal drug delivery, such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, as well as for other indications beyond the eye, creating new opportunities for innovation and commercialisation for Tecrea.