First patients dosed in OVERTURE, a Phase 1b/2a study evaluating EYC-0305, a potential long-acting anti-VEGF therapy designed for six-month or longer dosing intervals via standard intravitreal injection
Milestone marks Eyconis’ transition to a clinical-stage biotechnology company
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eyconis, Inc., a biotechnology company developing next-generation, long-acting ophthalmic therapeutics, today announced the initiation of OVERTURE, the company’s first-in-human Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of EYC-0305 in treatment-naïve patients with neovascular, or wet, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The first patients have been dosed in the study, marking Eyconis’ transition to a clinical-stage company.
EYC-0305 is Eyconis’ lead investigational therapy, designed to deliver sustained anti-VEGF activity using the TransCon® technology platform licensed from Ascendis Pharma for ophthalmology. EYC-0305 is being developed with the goal of providing durable disease control for patients with serious retinal disease while reducing treatment burden through extended dosing, with the potential to enable six-month or longer treatment intervals for many patients, without the need for surgery, an implant, or a device.
OVERTURE is an open-label, multiple ascending dose Phase 1b/2a clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of intravitreal EYC-0305 across multiple dose levels in treatment-naïve patients with wet AMD. Patients are expected to receive a single dose of EYC-0305 every 24 weeks, without traditional monthly loading doses. The study will also evaluate pharmacokinetics and measures of disease activity to inform the next stage of EYC-0305 clinical development, including the potential for durability beyond six months.
“Treating the first patients with EYC-0305 is an important milestone for Eyconis and for our mission to deliver durable, life-changing therapies that improve vision for people living with serious eye disease,” said Mark Bachleda, PharmD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Eyconis. “Anti-VEGF therapy has transformed the treatment of wet AMD, but real-world vision outcomes remain limited by the need for frequent injections and the challenges patients and eyecare providers face in maintaining visit-intensive treatment schedules. We believe EYC-0305 has the potential to deliver an unprecedented treatment profile — six months or longer of disease control for most patients, without the need for traditional monthly loading doses, through a standard intravitreal injection. If demonstrated clinically, we believe this would position EYC-0305 as a best-in-class therapy and establish a new foundational standard of care for patients with wet AMD and other retinal diseases.”