Connexin Therapeutics Ltd. signs license agreement with the Research Foundation for SUNY
Connexin Therapeutics Ltd., a biotech startup based in Cambridge, UK, has signed an exclusive license agreement with the Research Foundation for SUNY to develop and commercialize products to prevent vision loss and blindness in glaucoma patients by inhibiting connexin proteins in the retina.
The patent pending technology was invented at the SUNY College of Optometry by Dr. Stewart Bloomfield, professor, associate dean for graduate studies, and director of the Graduate Center for Vision Research. His lab has published a number of papers examining the molecular and cellular mechanisms of various ophthalmic diseases, including glaucoma.
Connexins form gap junctions, which are channels that enable cell to cell communication and allow ions and small molecules to pass between adjacent cells. Some connexins can spread toxins that kill neighboring cells and cause vision loss. Dr. Bloomfield’s connexin inhibitor method aims to preserve retinal cell structure and function, thereby preserving vision.
Connexin Therapeutics is a new company that aims to discover novel compounds that protect retinal neurons under threat from glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other ophthalmic conditions.
Research at SUNY produces nearly 300 new technologies a year. The Research Foundation for SUNY protects the valuable intellectual property generated at SUNY campuses and works with industry and businesses, like Connexin Therapeutics to translate research discoveries into commercial products that benefit society and spur economic development.
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