The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced a worldwide collaboration and license agreement with MeiraGTx Holdings plc, a clinical-stage gene therapy company, to develop, manufacture and commercialize its clinical stage inherited retinal disease portfolio, including leading product candidates for achromatopsia (ACHM) caused by mutations in either CNGB3 or CNGA3, and X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP). Further, the companies have formed a research collaboration to explore new targets for other inherited retinal diseases and further develop adeno-associated virus (AAV) manufacturing technology.
Achromatopsia is an inherited retinal disease that prevents cone photoreceptors from functioning. Patients are legally blind from birth and usually suffer from severely reduced visual acuity of 20/200 or worse; a disabling sensitivity to light, or photophobia; total color blindness; and involuntary back and forth eye movements, or nystagmus. There are currently no approved treatments for achromatopsia.
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