MingSight, Relin form JV to develop diabetic eye disease drug in China

Jiangsu MingSight-Relin Pharmaceutical will stick to the development standards of both the Chinese SFDA and the US Food and Drug Administration to facilitate the global development of MS-553.

MingSight has licensed MS-553 exclusive rights to MingSight-Relin in China, which it had previously in-licensed from Pfizer.

Relin GM Xintao Xia said as a new chemical entity, MS-553 has demonstrated an excellent potency and safety profile in extensive preclinical studies previously conducted by Pfizer.

"This solid preclinical data forms the basis of our decision to undertake this project. Under the expert guidance from MingSight, the joint venture will conduct preclinical and clinical studies in accordance with international GLP and GCP standards," Xia said.

MingSight chief scientific officer Michael Niesman said MS-553 has shown excellent efficacy and safety in preclinical studies and as an effective and safe oral treatment for diabetic eye disease it will be a significant advance for patients, potentially allowing them to avoid invasive therapies that often are given by injections into the eye.