RetinalGeniX Technologies Inc. Announces the Submission of Two Provisional Patent Applications For Investigational Therapeutic Drugs

Therapeutic Solutions Being Developed for Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Alzheimer’s Syndrome

PETALUMA, Calif., Nov. 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RetinalGeniX Technologies Inc. (OTCQB:RTGN) (“RetinalGeniX” or the “Company”), today announced that it has submitted two provisional patent applications to the US Patent Office for its investigational therapeutic drug candidates RTG-2023 and RTG-2024.

RTG-2023 is being developed to treat dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). There are two forms of the disease; wet AMD and dry AMD. Wet macular degeneration is the leading cause of permanent central vision loss. Dry AMD can progress to the wet type if not monitored closely by a doctor.

Currently, there are no drugs approved by the FDA that can prevent the dry form of this eye disease from progressing to the wet form or treat the wet form, except through intraocular injections. These direct injections into the eyes are a heavy burden on the patient, both financially and emotionally, and must be administered monthly for the rest of their life.

A 2022 study displayed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH PubMed) stated that 200 million people worldwide are estimated to have AMD, and by 2040, this number is projected to rise to close to 300 million.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2019, an estimated 19.8 million (12.6%) Americans aged 40 and older were living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Of these, 1.49 million (0.94%) were living with (the) vision-threatening (form)
RTG-2024 is intended for the treatment of dementia, specifically Alzheimer’s syndrome.

According to Alzheimer's Disease International (“ADI”), there are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020 and this number is expected to almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. ADI estimates there are over 10 million new cases of dementia each year worldwide, implying one new case every 3.2 seconds.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, 10 million Americans have some form of dementia with an estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older living with Alzheimer's in 2023.   In addition, the Alzheimer's Association has reported that the five drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine, and memantine combined with donepezil, are aimed at improving symptoms and do not affect the underlying brain changes that cause symptoms, nor do they alter the course of the disease