RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that Chinese researchers confirmed the ability of Thymosin beta 4 (Tß4) to protect corneal stromal cells from damage due to ethanol exposure and significantly promote wound healing. Ethanol is used in ophthalmic surgeries to sterilize the eye for surgeries such as LASEK and PRK and can cause damage such as apoptosis (cell death), inflammation, and extend healing time. The corneal stroma plays a significant role in maintaining corneal shape and curvature, and corneal transparency.

Corneal stroma wound healing is a complex process and an efficient repair process is vital. The research team demonstrated the protective effects of using Tß4 in both in vivo and in vitro animal models. The research was published by Liu et al., in BMC Ophthalmology (2022) 22:33, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-022-02255-8. RGN-259 is a sterile, preservative-free eye drop with Tß4 as the active ingredient, that in controlled clinical trials has been shown to quickly reduce certain signs and symptoms of dry eye syndrome and neurotrophic keratitis and having no significant side effects that are commonly associated with other products.

The product candidate has completed three phase 3 clinical trials in patients with dry eye syndrome and is moving through the FDA regulatory process through the Company's ReGenTree LLC U.S. joint venture.