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Stuart Therapeutics and PolyCol

Stuart Therapeutics is developing a synthesized polypeptide therapeutic, (PolyCol), that targets and heals specific areas of collagen damage that are implicated in chronic diseases of the eye.  In several chronic ophthalmic indications, disease processes release enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that degrade and remodel collagen proteins. One specific area of degradation is in helical collagen structures (found in all collagen types).  These helical structures are the home for important cell signaling proteins in healthy tissue.  When degraded by MMPs, these helical structures cease hosting of signaling proteins, leading to inflammation and further damage.  Normally, collagen is replaced quite slowly compared to cellular tissues.  Healthy collagen structures are required for full and healthy recovery of the affected tissues.  As people age, the body’s ability to produce replacement collagen is reduced, thus leading to chronic disease.  PolyCol is structured as a fractional single strand of amino acids that are mimics of sequences found in normal helical collagen.  It is specifically designed to bind or intercalate into the key damage areas, restoring cell signaling and the structural role that collagen plays in healthy tissues.  It works quickly, and results in the rapid restoration of tissue health and reduction in inflammation. PolyCol is being developed for several common disease indications in ophthalmology: Dry Eye Disease, Glaucoma, and Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Our lead product candidate, ST-100, is being developed for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED).  Stuart’s ST-100 is a targeted tissue reparative technology, restoring the helical collagen structures to their primary structural and cell signaling ligand binding site role.  This results in an extremely robust recovery of corneal nerve function, and the ocular surface, including goblet cells and corneal epithelium.

Stuart is developing other members of the PolyCol family of sequences for ECM helical collagen repair in additional important chronic eye disease indications, including glaucoma and dry age-related macular degeneration.

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POLYCOL

Our Science

Stuart Therapeutics has recently completed its Phase 2 clinical trial for its first drug candidate, ST-100 for Dry Eye Disease. The company has also completed extensive in vitro and in vivo research to profile the multiple amino acid sequence variants of the PolyCol platform, including their impact on accelerating tissue healing and reduction of inflammation in other important ophthalmic indications.