Ray Therapeutics Receives $8 Million CIRM Grant to Support Gene Therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa
Friday, April 25, 2025
Ray Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm focused on optogenetic gene therapies for vision restoration, has secured an $8 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The funding will aid in the clinical advancement of RTx-015, an experimental gene therapy developed to treat retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
RTx-015 uses optogenetic technology to introduce light-sensitive proteins into the retina. This approach is designed to help restore vision in individuals affected by RP, regardless of the specific genetic mutation causing the condition.
Retinitis pigmentosa is a progressive and inherited eye disease that causes photoreceptors in the retina to deteriorate over time. This leads to symptoms such as night blindness, narrowing of visual fields, and eventual severe vision loss or blindness. The condition often appears in childhood or early adulthood and currently has no widely approved treatments. Over half a million people globally are believed to be living with RP.
CIRM awarded the grant following strong support from its scientific and patient advocacy reviewers. The application received the highest possible scores from all 15 reviewers within CIRM’s independent Grants Working Group, which highlighted the programme’s strong scientific potential and likely impact on patient care.
Ray Therapeutics continues to focus on advancing treatments for individuals living with inherited retinal diseases, aiming to provide new therapeutic options where none currently exist.
Source: businesswire.com
