Beacon Therapeutics Announces Positive 3-Month Data from Phase 2 DAWN Trial of laru-zova (AGTC-501) in Patients with X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP)

• To date, laru-zova has been well-tolerated by all participants in the Phase 2 DAWN study.
• Data show promising early improvements in low luminance visual acuity (LLVA), a critical measure of visual function.
• Data build confidence in laru-zova as a potential treatment for patients with XLRP.
• Pivotal Phase 2/3 VISTA trial for laru-zova in XLRP is currently enrolling.

LONDON and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Beacon Therapeutics Holdings Limited ('Beacon Therapeutics' or 'the Company'), a leading ophthalmic gene therapy company with a purpose to save and restore the vision of patients with blinding retinal diseases, today announced the presentation of 3-month interim safety and efficacy results of the Phase 2 DAWN trial in patients with XLRP at the FLORetina-ICOOR Meeting 2024 in Florence, Italy.

Key presentation highlights:

• The three-month data show that laru-zova has been well-tolerated by all participants.
• No study agent-related treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported, including no ocular inflammatory adverse events.
• Data also show promising early improvements in LLVA, a critical measure of visual function.
• The benefit-risk profile supports on-going clinical development for the treatment of patients with XLRP caused by RPGR mutations.

DAWN is a non-randomized, open-label study of laru-zova in participants with XLRP who have previously been treated with a full-length AAV-vector based gene therapy targeting the RPGR protein. The purpose of DAWN is to assess two different doses of laru-zova for efficacy, safety and tolerability in the untreated eye of participants who previously received gene therapy for XLRP.

XLRP is a severe, aggressive, inherited retinal disease that often leads to blindness by middle age, with no treatment options available. XLRP primarily affects young males with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 25,000 males in the US, Europe and Australia having XLRP with RPGR mutations. Laru-zova expresses the full length RPGR protein and is therefore expected to address the entirety of photoreceptor damage caused by XLRP, including both rod and cone loss, representing a potential best-in-class treatment for progressive vision loss in patients with XLRP.

Lance Baldo, MD, chief executive officer of Beacon Therapeutics, stated, "We are encouraged by the early results from the Phase 2 DAWN study. The strong safety profile observed to date is complemented by promising early improvements in low luminance visual acuity - a meaningful and functional measure of vision in patients with XLRP. These data not only support the ongoing pivotal VISTA study, but also strengthen our commitment to this opportunity to bring hope to patients and families affected by this devastating disease."

Beacon Therapeutics is also enrolling patients for its pivotal Phase 2/3 VISTA trial of laru-zova as it develops this potential treatment for patients with XLRP. 

Presentations –

• Subretinal Gene Therapy laru-zova (AGTC-501) for X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP) Phase 2 Multicenter Study (DAWN): Preliminary Results
  
  
• RPGR gene therapy and the Beacon clinical trials: Beacon Therapeutics Subretinal Gene Therapy laru-zova (AGTC-501) for X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP)

Presenting Author – Professor Paulo Eduardo Stanga, Founder and Chief Medical Officer, The Retina Clinic London

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Media:
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About Beacon Therapeutics
Beacon Therapeutics is an ophthalmic gene therapy company founded in 2023 to save and restore the vision of patients with a range of prevalent and rare retinal diseases that result in blindness.

The Company has an established scientific foundation that combines a late-stage development candidate to treat X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) and two preclinical programs, one targeting dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and another targeting an inherited cone-rod dystrophy (CRD). Beacon Therapeutics also has access to a target generation technology platform that will identify, screen, and search secreted proteins in the ophthalmology space.

Lead development candidate laru-zova (AGTC-501), is a gene therapy program currently being investigated for the treatment of XLRP, an inherited monogenic recessive disorder that causes progressive vision loss, primarily in boys and young men. XLRP is predominantly caused by mutations in the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) gene. Laru-zova expresses the full length RPGR protein, thereby addressing the full complement of photoreceptor damage caused by XLRP, including both rod and cone loss.

Beacon is supported by funds from Syncona Limited, Forbion, Oxford Science Enterprises, TCGX, Advent Life Sciences and additional investors.

Find out more about Beacon Therapeutics at beacontx.com.

SOURCE Beacon Therapeutics