ESBATech initiates Phase I development of ophthalmic drug

This Phase I study is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile of ESBA105, when delivered topically via eye drops in healthy volunteers. The study is being conducted as a single and repeated dose escalation study in Switzerland. ESBA105 is a single-chain antibody fragment directed against TNFa. It is being developed initially for ophthalmic indications.

Dominik Escher, CEO of ESBATech, said: “ESBA105 represents a new generation of antibody fragment therapeutics that have favourable biochemical properties over earlier classes of antibody fragments, such as high stability, solubility and high monomeric content. This allows us to deliver the drug topically, without any need to stabilize or modify the protein.”