Key points from article :
ONL Therapeutics has raised $65 million in a Series D funding round to support the advancement of its novel treatments aimed at preventing retinal cell death. The company’s lead drug, ONL1204, is a small molecule that inhibits Fas signalling, a pathway responsible for triggering cell death and inflammation in eye diseases. By targeting this mechanism, ONL aims to protect key retinal cells, such as photoreceptors, from degeneration, offering potential benefits across various retinal conditions.
The funding will help launch a Phase 2 global trial for patients with geographic atrophy (GA) caused by dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that leads to gradual vision loss. In earlier trials, ONL1204 showed promising results by slowing the progression of GA lesions.
The financing was led by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, with support from investors such as Novartis Venture Fund and Visionary Ventures. This partnership, particularly with Johnson & Johnson’s Specialty Ophthalmology R&D team, will bolster the ongoing development of ONL1204 as a potential treatment for vision-threatening conditions like GA. Dr. David Zacks, ONL’s co-founder, highlighted the significance of the drug’s neuroprotective effects and its potential to address a critical cause of blindness.
