Pioneering regenerative ocular treatments.
Our goal is to develop regenerative medicine treatments to restore and maintain vision in people with macular degenerative diseases such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Best Disease and Stargardt Disease.
Restoring Vision
Millions of people suffer from Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Best Disease, Stargardt Disease and other macular degenerative diseases that cause impaired central vision.
The Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) provides metabolic support for the photoreceptor cells and also removes old bits of cellular debris from the tips of the photoreceptor cells as they renew themselves. When the support functions of the RPE are lost, the photoreceptor cells cannot function and the vision from this part of retina is lost.
Restoring vision in people with macular degenerative diseases like AMD may be possible with RPE implantation. Human clinical studies with RPE cells show great promise of providing safe and effective treatments that could restore vision.
SMI-001
Our lead product is a complete treatment system for macular degenerative diseases
Seeing Medicines is developing SMI-001 to replace damaged RPE cells with healthy RPE cells seeded on a thin, firm and degradable scaffold made from fibrin, a natural human protein. The small scaffold with a single layer of RPE is transplanted directly into the patient’s eye, where the patient’s own RPE cells are missing or dysfunctional.
SMI-001 is transplanted by a retinal surgeon through a small sclerotomy in a standard operating room. Surgery is performed using disposable, precision instruments with the fibrin-RPE scaffold already loaded into the device. SMI-001 is packaged as a “ready-to-use”, “off-the-shelf” complete treatment system.
About Us
Seeing Medicines is a private, preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel cellular therapies to treat Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Best Disease, Stargardt Disease and other macular degenerative diseases.
We are pioneering subretinal treatments with a thin, firm degradable protein scaffold and single-use precision surgical instruments.
We make RPE from induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) lines (not from embryos).
LEROUX JOOSTE
Chief Executive Officer & President
LeRoux is a seasoned biotech executive with recent experience in regenerative medicine and developing stem cell based treatments for macular degeneration at Ocata Therapeutics (acquired by Astellas Pharma in 2016).
LeRoux has prior experience in big pharma (Eli Lilly, Wyeth, Cephalon) and startup biotech (Aton Pharma, Antares and Akili Interactive).
ED MICKUNAS
Regulatory Advisor
Ed is a veteran in the field of cell therapies with decades of experience in regulatory affairs, manufacturing and the development of Investigational New Drug Applications (IND) with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
His experience as Chief Operating Officer with NewStem Biotechnology Inc, and and VP Regulatory, Quality and Clinical at ACT/Ocata Therapeutics brings a depth of cell therapy knowledge and a successful track record of having prepared and filed multiple INDs with the FDA.
ANDREW FOWLIE
Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Andrew Fowlie PhD., brings broad expertise in the preclinical development and regulatory strategy of cell-based therapies. Andrew is also an independent consultant with Stonehaven Non-Clinical Consulting LLC, with past experiences at ACT/Ocata Therapeutics Proteostasis Therapeutics, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Leukosite, CytoMed and Seragen. He has filed multiple INDs with the FDA.
LUCIAN DEL PRIORE
Medical Advisor in Chief
Dr. Lucian V. Del Priore, MD, PhD., Medical Advisor in Chief is Robert R. Young Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University School of Medicine and Chief of Ophthalmology, Yale New Haven Hospital.
Dr. Del Priore is a highly skilled retinal surgeon who specializes in the surgical and medical treatment of retinal disease, including age-related macular degeneration and other diseases of the eye. Dr. Del Priore advised Ocata Therapeutics on the RPE program.
MATT VINCENT
Development and Strategy Consultant
Dr. Matthew Vincent, Ph.D., J.D., has extensive experience in the life science industry having led patent strategy , business development and therapeutic innovation. Dr. Vincent brings experience from Ocata Therapeutics, Avacta Life Sciences, Arisaph Pharmaceuticals and many years as an intellectual property attorney.
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