Nanoscope Therapeutics announces positive topline results from Phase 2b RESTORE trial of MCO-010 for treatment of retinitis pigmentosa

The company said in a news release it expects to present the RESTORE top-line results at upcoming medical conferences. (Image courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Nanoscope Therapeutics Inc. this week announced topline results from the Phase 2b multicenter, randomly assigned, double-masked, sham-controlled RESTORE clinical trial (NCT04945772) of MCO-010, an ambient-light activatable multi-characteristic opsin (MCO) optogenetic therapy for vision restoration in advanced retinitis pigmentosa (RP), irrespective of gene mutation.

According to the company, MCO-010 has received both orphan drug and fast track designations from the FDA.

In the RESTORE trial, 18 patients with severe vision impairment due to RP received a single intravitreal injection of MCO-010 while 9 received a sham intravitreal injection procedure. Results showed vision function improvements after treatment with MCO-010 consistent with previous studies as well as a favorable safety profile.

The company noted in its news release the primary outcome measure was mean change in Multi-Luminance Y-Mobility Test (MLYMT, vision-guided mobility) score vs. placebo. Other key efficacy assessments included the Multi-Luminance Shape Discrimination Test (MLSDT, near object recognition) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). For the MLYMT and MLSDT, a 2 or more luminance level change is considered clinically meaningful. For BCVA, a 0.3 LogMAR change is considered clinically meaningful, with negative change indicating improved visual acuity.

Key efficacy outcomes at 12-month were:

• 16 of 18 (88.9%) MCO-010 treated patients demonstrated a 2 or more luminance level improvement in MLYMT or MLSDT at 12 months compared to 4 of 9 (44.4%) receiving placebo (p <0.05);
• 12 of 18 MCO-010 treated patients improved by 2 or more luminance levels in the MLYMT compared to 3 of 9 receiving placebo;
• 10 of 18 MCO-010 treated patients improved by 2 or more luminance levels in the MLSDT compared to 2 of 9 receiving placebo;
• 7 of 18 MCO-010 treated patients improved by -0.3 LogMAR or more in BCVA compared to 1 of 9 receiving placebo; and
• Change in MLYMT score (primary outcome), difference vs. placebo: +1.0 (95%CI 0.0, 3.0).

Moreover, the company noted in addition to the evidence of a clinically meaningful effect, MCO-010 was well-tolerated with no serious or severe ocular or systemic adverse events reported. One SAE occurred in a placebo treated patient. There was a comparable incidence of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) across study arms. The most common ocular TEAEs reported across treatment arms were anterior chamber cells, ocular hypertension, and conjunctival hemorrhage.

The company y also noted the RESTORE results are consistent with those observed in the earlier Phase 1/2 trial, demonstrating improvements in functional vision in the majority of patients treated with MCO-010 together with a favorable safety profile. People with severe vision loss due to RP currently have no available treatments to improve vision.

Victor H. Gonzalez, MD, founder of Valley Retina Institute, McAllen, Texas and RESTORE investigator, pointed out in the news release he has had an opportunity to observe substantial improvements in visual function in several patients who have enrolled in MCO-010 clinical trials over the past year.

“The fact that we see sustained and sometimes transformative gains in vision function, allowing them to walk in the clinic with more certainty, after a single treatment is remarkable and unprecedented," Gonzalez said in a statement. "These participants who were living with severe vision impairment due to RP now have an improved quality of life, very different from before receiving MCO-010. In addition, MCO-010's favorable safety profile further strengthens my confidence in this ground-breaking treatment that I expect to become an important treatment option for people with advanced RP."

Samarendra Mohanty, co-founder, president and chief scientific officer of Nanoscope, pointed out in the release the results are promising, demonstrating the potential of MCO-010 to restore vision and represent more than a decade of work by many dedicated individuals involved in the discovery and development of this unique fast, broadband, and highly sensitive platform.

“This is a pivotal moment for the field of mutation-agnostic gene therapy and establishes optogenetics as a therapeutic modality that can restore functional vision in ambient light in patients with severe retinal degeneration,” Mohanty said in the release. “The RESTORE trial data further validate Nanoscope's MCO platform that is being applied across a growing pipeline of programs. Our approach demonstrates potential across a range of diseases and therapeutic areas and Nanoscope is uniquely poised to advance optogenetics to be a therapeutic reality for patients.”

Sulagna Bhattacharya, co-founder and CEO of Nanoscope, said the company was pleased with the results from the RESTORE trial.

“These results suggest that MCO-010 provides substantial benefit to patients with severe vision loss due to advanced RP, a condition for which there are currently no available treatments,” Bhattacharya explained in a statement. “We are looking forward to engaging with the FDA and other regulatory agencies on the future of MCO-010, with the goal of expeditiously getting this novel therapy to patients.”

The company expects to present the RESTORE top-line results at upcoming medical conferences.