Companies To Watch: Qlaris Bio

By Wayne Koberstein, Executive Editor, Life Science Leader
Follow Me On Twitter @WayneKoberstein

Striking at an unaddressed target in the intraocular pressure of glaucoma

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Qlaris Bio (que-lar-is) is a private company developing ophthalmology medicines. Although the company has several compounds in discovery and early development, it has publicly discussed only its lead candidate, coded QLS-101, which is in early-stage trials for three ocular conditions. QLS-101 is in a Phase 2 trial for primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension; another Phase 2, for normal tension glaucoma; and a Phase 2, for adults with Sturge-Weber syndrome. The drug uses a novel mechanism of action to target a heretofore unaddressed factor in intraocular pressure (IOP), the central actor in glaucoma. The factor is episcleral venous pressure (EVP), the only one of the four factors in IOP that no current drug on the market addresses.