Israeli biopharmaceutical company NurExone Biologic Inc. has announced encouraging preliminary results from a small-scale controlled study investigating the use of its nanodrug, ExoPTEN, for optic nerve recovery in a rat model at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv. This study represents a second clinical indication being explored for ExoPTEN, following its success in nerve regeneration for spinal cord injury in preclinical models.

The study, initiated by Prof. Michael Belkin and carried out under Prof. Ygal Rotenstreich and Dr. Ifat Sher, utilized an Optic Nerve Crush (ONC) model to simulate conditions like glaucoma, where optic nerve compression leads to impaired vision. ExoPTEN was administered via suprachoroidal injection, and its therapeutic effects on retinal function were compared to healthy baseline levels, an untreated ONC control, and ONC treated with naïve exosomes.

Electroretinogram (ERG) measurements revealed that ExoPTEN-treated eyes exhibited a peak similar to the healthy eye in the same animal, indicating recovery of retinal response following optical nerve compression. In contrast, untreated ONC eyes showed a marked decline in retinal functionality, while naïve exosome-treated rats demonstrated a weaker response.

The promising results were observed just 18 days following ONC damage, suggesting a potential pathway for recovery of optic nerve function and overall healthy vision. “While these results are preliminary, they form a solid foundation for further research,” Prof. Rotenstreich and Dr. Sher commented in a press release. “Our next steps include more extensive studies to validate these findings and explore their potential application for humans.”