BlueRock Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer AG, has announced that the first patient has been treated in its Phase 1/2a clinical trial of OpCT-001. The investigational therapy is designed for primary photoreceptor diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease, the company said.
According to the company, OpCT-001 consists of human stem cell-derived photoreceptor precursor cells. The trial aims to assess the safety and explore the efficacy of the therapy in patients with significant vision loss caused by inherited retinal diseases.
The company stated that OpCT-001 is part of its broader ophthalmology pipeline, which focuses on cell therapies to restore visual function. The Phase 1/2a study is being conducted in the United States and will evaluate multiple dose levels of OpCT-001.
BlueRock Therapeutics claims that this trial builds on its cell therapy platform, previously advanced in other therapeutic areas. The company noted its commitment to exploring regenerative medicine approaches to address currently untreatable conditions.
According to the company, the study will monitor safety, tolerability and potential clinical benefits over time, although specific timelines or projected outcomes were not disclosed in the announcement.
