PRMT5 inhibitors for tough-to-treat age-related eye disease
Official title: PRMT5 Inhibitors as a Novel Therapy for Anti-VEGF-Sensitive and -Resistant Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Funded at Eqon Pharmaceuticals, LLC · NIH-11409867 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new PRMT5 inhibitor is being explored as a treatment for people with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who don’t fully respond to current anti-VEGF therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Eqon Pharmaceuticals, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Carmel, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $233,247 |
| NIH project number | 1R43EY038150-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11409867 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with neovascular AMD who have partial or poor response to standard anti-VEGF therapy (could also include models simulating anti-VEGF–resistant disease).
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose disease is not driven by VEGF-related pathways or who have contraindications to intravitreal treatments may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a novel drug, CM01, that targets an epigenetic and inflammatory hub to slow abnormal eye vessel growth. It includes lab studies on retinal cells and animal models to see if CM01 can reduce damaging blood vessel formation and inflammation. The aim is to determine whether CM01 could work in both anti-VEGF-responsive and anti-VEGF–resistant cases. Researchers will look at how CM01 affects key genes like VEGF, ANG2, and TNFα and whether it improves outcomes in models of neovascular eye disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, CM01 could offer a new option for patients with nAMD who do not respond well to current therapies, potentially reducing injections and improving vision.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work with similar approaches targeting epigenetic/inflammatory pathways has shown promising effects on angiogenesis and inflammation in ocular models, but this exact CM01 approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Eqon Pharmaceuticals, LLC
Carmel, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martin, Matthew — Eqon Pharmaceuticals, LLC
- Study coordinator: Martin, Matthew
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.