Huons BioPharma wins government backing for advanced macular degeneration eye-drop treatment

Huons BioPharma has secured government funding to develop a peptide-based eye drop treatment for geographic atrophy, an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration, the company announced Tuesday.

The Korea Drug Development Fund selected the project as part of its first 2026 round of support for new drug research, providing two years of funding. Huons BioPharma plans to use the money to advance ingredient manufacturing, formulation studies, toxicity evaluation and final drug production, with the goal of securing approval to begin Phase 2 clinical trials in the United States. The company will work with ORA, a U.S. clinical research organization specializing in ophthalmology, as well as contract manufacturers.

The project builds on a license agreement the company signed in December 2024 with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, through which it acquired the peptide therapeutic candidate.

Geographic atrophy causes permanent vision loss through the progressive death of retinal cells. The two treatments currently approved in the United States for the condition require injections directly into the eyeball, which can cause discomfort and anxiety in patients, carry risks of serious side effects including retinal vasculitis and slow lesion progression without restoring lost vision.

Huons BioPharma's candidate works by selectively blocking inflammatory signaling pathways in the retina. As a non-invasive eye drop, it is designed to improve patient compliance and reduce the treatment burden compared with existing options.

"Through the development of this eye drop formulation, we are fully committed to establishing a new therapeutic alternative for patients suffering from advanced geographic atrophy and delivering high-quality healthcare solutions globally," CEO Lee Jeong-hee said.

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]