# Development of a Peptide Therapy for Corneal Wound Healing

> **NIH NIH R41** · VISO THERAPEUTICS INC. · 2022 · $300,889

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Acute corneal epithelial injuries (corneal abrasions, foreign bodies, contact lens related injuries) are extremely
common (more than 1 million per year). Injuries like corneal abrasions may lead to downstream
consequences like corneal infections and inflammation, vision loss, and chronic wounds. Very limited
interventions are currently available for these wounds. The standard of care for mild acute injuries is primarily
supportive, with antibiotics given topically to prevent infectious complications. Severe cases may require
ocular device placement, like amniotic membrane containing contact lenses, or even surgery. During the
recovery time, patients suffer from pain, reduced vision and difficulty working and performing activities of
daily living. The proposed work supports the development of a first-in-class, peptide-based, topical eye drop
to accelerate the recovery time and allow patients to return to function sooner. This peptide therapy has a
different mechanism of action than other eye drops given for ocular surface diseases. The objective of this
Phase I STTR is to derisk the development of this novel therapy through two Aims (1) testing efficacy in in
vivo models of disease and (2) determination of ideal parameters for drug application. The proposed research
is innovative as it is the first study to investigate the use of these peptides in critical derisking drug development
models. These studies are significant because they will advance the development of a new therapeutic through
the use of rigorous and well-defined methods in clinically relevant translational models of disease and serve as
the basis for later stages of development to bring this therapy to patients. Success will be determined by efficacy
testing above a clinically relevant threshold for improvement and establishment of critical dosing parameters.
Phase II follow on studies would include 28-day toxicological testing, formulation development, chemistry-
manufacturing-control (CMC) studies and scale up of peptide production for subsequent clinical trials. The
results of these experiments will support an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10484711
- **Project number:** 1R41EY034062-01
- **Recipient organization:** VISO THERAPEUTICS INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael Thomas Flavin
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $300,889
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10484711

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10484711, Development of a Peptide Therapy for Corneal Wound Healing (1R41EY034062-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10484711. Licensed CC0.

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