Pro Bono Team Advises Global RDH12 Alliance and Eyes on the Future in Collaboration with Opus Genetics to Advance Gene Therapy for Inherited Childhood Blindness

A pro bono team advised the Global RDH12 Alliance and the UK-based non-profit Eyes on the Future in a collaborative arrangement with a biotechnology company Opus Genetics, Inc., under which the Alliance will fund certain research to advance Opus’ gene therapy program for patients with vision loss due to retinol dehydrogenase 12(RDH12) gene mutations. The Alliance serves as a collaborative platform united key advocacy groups dedicated to RDH12-related inherited retinal diseases (IRD). The collaboration was announced on July 23.

Under the agreement, the Alliance will provide up to $1.6 million towards the development of the OPGx-RDH12 program for the potential treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis, a rare IRD that causes progressive vision loss and blindness.

The partnership also includes a risk-sharing structure and performance-based milestones. Together, the parties will co-develop the OPGx-RDH12 program, including the clinical and regulatory strategy, with the goal of filing an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by late 2025.

“The Ropes & Gray team has been an incredible partner to Eyes on the Future. Their dedicated support and critical pro bono advice were instrumental as we negotiated this agreement with Opus. This is a breakthrough for our community affected by inherited retinal diseases and it brings real hope to families facing the reality of progressive sight loss by moving us closer to a therapy. At the same time, it also defines a new model for how advanced therapies can reach rare disease patients — one where patients and industry work together and that could pave the way for many others,” said Silvia Cerolini, CEO of Eyes on the Future.

The Ropes & Gray team included life sciences licensing partner David McIntosh, emerging companies & venture capital counsel David Dowling, life sciences licensing associates Parker Elliot, Ryan Kramer and Mo Greason, life sciences regulatory & compliance associate Daisy Bray and data, privacy & cybersecurity associate Robyn Bond.