Clearside Biomedical, Inc. Receives Notice of Allowance for Seventh U.S. Patent

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Jan. 05, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clearside Biomedical, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSD), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class drug therapies to treat back-of-the-eye diseases, today announced it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for U.S. Patent Application Number 15/086,485 entitled, “Methods and Devices for the Treatment of Ocular Diseases in Human Subjects.”

Once the administrative process is complete, the U.S. Patent that issues from this application will provide intellectual property protection for methods of treating posterior ocular disorders by non-surgically administering axitinib to the suprachoroidal space of the eye. This patent represents one in a series of filings protecting the use of the suprachoroidal space as a location in the eye to dose drug that provides for higher bioavailability to target retinal and choroidal diseases, regardless of the method of administration.

In 2016, Clearside selected axitinib as the lead compound for its development program for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (“wet AMD”) through suprachoroidal administration. In preclinical models, we observed that axitinib had a long drug half-life and high bioavailability in the tissues of the back of the eye.  Axitinib targets all vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, in addition to other key receptors involved in angiogenesis.  

“This is the seventh patent allowance in the United States related to our proprietary approach for the treatment of blinding diseases,” commented Clearside’s Chief Executive Officer and President, Daniel H. White.  “Our IP estate provides important protection for opportunities to provide treatment for eye diseases via suprachoroidal drug administration.”   

About Clearside

Clearside Biomedical, Inc., headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, is a publicly traded, ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company that envisions a world without blindness. Clearside relentlessly pursues transformative, elegant, precise solutions to restore and preserve vision. Clearside is developing advanced clinical and pre-clinical candidates using a proprietary treatment approach offering unprecedented access to the back of the eye through the suprachoroidal space (SCS™). This offers potentially meaningful treatment benefit to patients suffering from sight threatening diseases like uveitis, retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema and wet AMD.  To learn more about how Clearside is changing ophthalmology, please visit us at www.clearsidebio.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements may be identified by words such as “believe”, “expect”, “may”, “plan”, “potential”, “will”, and similar expressions, and are based on Clearside’s current beliefs and expectations. These forward-looking statements include expectations regarding the clinical development of Clearside’s product candidates. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include uncertainties inherent in the conduct of clinical trials, Clearside’s reliance on third parties over which it may not always have full control, and other risks and uncertainties that are described in Clearside’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 14, 2016 and Clearside’s other Periodic Reports filed with the SEC.  Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to Clearside as of the date of this release, and Clearside assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.