Tenpoint Therapeutics and Visus Therapeutics complete merger, combining ophthalmic therapeutics portfolios

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Key Takeaways

Tenpoint and Visus merge to focus on aging-related ocular conditions, including presbyopia, cataracts, and geographic atrophy.
BRIMOCHOL PF, a presbyopia-correcting eye drop, combines carbachol and brimonidine, aiming for NDA approval by 2025.
The merger includes Tenpoint’s TPT-161 for cataracts and TPT-005 for geographic atrophy, enhancing the therapeutic pipeline.
Henric Bjarke is appointed CEO, with David Guyer, MD, as Chairman, to lead the new entity in ophthalmic innovation.
A crossover financing round is planned to fund clinical studies and commercialization efforts for BRIMOCHOL PF.

Tenpoint Therapeutics and Visus Therapeutics have merged to focus on aging-related ocular conditions, with key products including BRIMOCHOL PF for presbyopia and therapies for cataracts and geographic atrophy.

(Image credit: Adobe Stock/ricardoreitmeyer)

Tenpoint Therapeutics Ltd. and Visus Therapeutics Inc. have completed their merger, consolidating their respective ophthalmic therapeutic assets. The new entity aims to address ocular conditions related to aging, with a focus on presbyopia, cataracts, and geographic atrophy.

A central component of the merged portfolio is BRIMOCHOL PF, a once-daily, presbyopia-correcting eye drop. The product combines carbachol, a miotic agent, with brimonidine, an alpha2-agonist.¹

According to the companies, this combination may enhance efficacy and duration while reducing ocular redness. BRIMOCHOL PF is expected to be filed for New Drug Application (NDA) approval in the first half of 2025, with plans for commercialization in the US by 2026.

The merger also incorporates Tenpoint’s additional therapeutic programs:

TPT-161, a small molecule aimed at addressing cataract formation.
TPT-005, a cell therapy intended for retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell replacement to treat geographic atrophy.

Henric Bjarke has been appointed CEO of the combined company. Bjarke has prior leadership experience in biopharmaceutical companies focusing on ophthalmology and other therapeutic areas.

“As we relaunch Tenpoint as a combined entity with Visus, we are excited to lead with a robust ophthalmology pipeline, starting with BRIMOCHOL PF, a near-term therapeutic medicine for presbyopia alongside other innovative therapies to treat cataract and geographic atrophy,” Bjarke said in a statement. “With our combined teams, we have the right expertise to develop and successfully launch innovative products with the potential to be first and best in class in ophthalmic medicines.”

David Guyer, MD, will serve as Chairman of the Board.

“The merger of Tenpoint and Visus is a pivotal moment in the evolution of both companies,” he said in a statement. “As Board Chair, I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the new leadership team to commercialize BRIMOCHOL PF and advance innovative products into clinical development to meet unmet needs in ocular diseases,”

The company plans to initiate a crossover financing round to fund ongoing clinical studies and prepare for the commercialization of BRIMOCHOL PF.¹

According to the companies, this merger consolidates late-stage and early-stage programs aimed at ocular conditions associated with aging. The combined company will continue clinical and regulatory work on BRIMOCHOL PF and other therapies while planning for their eventual introduction to the market.

Reference

1. The next Era of Best-and First-In-Class Ophthalmic Medicines. Published December 12, 2024. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64b01a75c3f993c7c15191dd/675a7e8b8d1d83eb7e2ed1f6_TenpointPR_Merger_12Dec2024_vF_FINAL.pdf