Media: The South China Morning Post
Title: Hong Kong biotech start-up Alephoson eyes international trial for eye-drug delivery
Date: 10 Feb 2025 (Mon)
Interviewee: Dr Mårten E BRELÉN, Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr Mårten E BRELÉN, in collaboration with Alephoson, is pioneering a groundbreaking approach to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in Hong Kong. Alephoson, a biotech start-up based in the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, has developed a unique cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) that, when combined with anti-VEGF medication, allows it to be administered as simple eye drops instead of injections directly into the eye. This innovative drug delivery system could significantly improve patient comfort and compliance. With Alephoson’s recent Series A funding and Dr Brelen’s prestigious grant from the General Research Fund (GRF), they’re launching a Phase 1 clinical trial to test this novel eye drop on AMD patients. This trial aims to provide a more convenient and potentially more efficacious treatment option, reducing the burden of frequent eye injections for a very common condition.
The details of the clinical trial can be found in the following press release published in the South China Morning Post : https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/biomedicine/article/3297973/hong-kong-biotech-start-alephoson-eyes-international-trial-eye-drug-delivery