Ocuphire Pharma Inc. and privately held Opus Genetics Inc. announced an all-stock merger on 22 October that will create a publicly traded company focused primarily on gene therapies for inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) disorders, while also fulfilling development of a late-stage Ocuphire asset that it has licensed to Viatris. The merged company will operate under the Opus Genetics name and will have a cash runway into 2026, which should see it through four clinical development inflection points.
Key Takeaways
- Ocuphire is merging with Opus Genetics with a central focus on the latter’s gene therapy candidates for inherited retinal degeneration disorders.
- The new company will combine the executive leadership of the two prior firms and finish out development of a Phase III ophthalmic candidate licensed to Viatris