# Development of a new drug for treating autoimmune uveitis

> **NIH NIH R41** · ABCON THERAPEUTICS, INC. · 2021 · $255,388

## Abstract

Summary
 Autoimmune uveitis is a major cause of blindness in which retinal antigen-specific T cells
lead to ocular inflammation and vision loss. Similar to the treatment of other T cell-mediated
autoimmune diseases, selective suppression of the pathogenic T cells is the “holy grail” of
therapeutic development. In pilot studies, we have developed a novel antibody-drug conjugate
(ADC) with combined T cell targeting and potent anti-mitosis activity, which is designed to
selectively kill the proliferating autoreactive T cells while sparing the other cells including normal
T cells. In this Phase I application, we will first demonstrate that this ADC selectively kills
proliferating uveitogenic T cells while sparing normal T cells and other cells both in vitro and in
vivo, then determine its in vivo treatment efficacy and potential off-target effects in two animal
models of autoimmune uveitis. These studies will provide the required proof-of-concept for a
Phase II development of this promising ADC towards IND-enabling studies and further clinical
development.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10321980
- **Project number:** 1R41EY033243-01
- **Recipient organization:** ABCON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** FENG C LIN
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $255,388
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10321980

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10321980, Development of a new drug for treating autoimmune uveitis (1R41EY033243-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10321980. Licensed CC0.

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