26therapeutics Inc., a Canadian life sciences company developing innovative therapies for dry eye disease (DED) and other meibomian gland disorders, has been launched.
Based in Montreal, 26therapeutics is advancing a first-in-class topical small-molecule programme targeting meibomian gland dysfunction, a primary cause of tear film instability and ocular surface damage in most dry eye patients.
Unlike current therapies that largely provide symptom relief, 26therapeutics’ lead candidate is based on selective inhibition of CYP26B1, an enzyme that regulates local retinoic acid metabolism in the meibomian gland. Preclinical studies have demonstrated restoration of gland structure and function, increased tear production, and reduced corneal damage, supporting its disease-modifying potential.
“26therapeutics was formed to translate decades of research in retinoic acid biology into a targeted, topical approach with the potential to address the disease at its source,” said Martin Petkovich, scientific founder of 26therapeutics Inc. and a professor at Queens University.
“This programme was advanced through close collaboration with Jacob Rullo, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Queen’s, whose brilliant research demonstrated that our approach could be applied to restore meibomian gland function.”
Dry eye disease, which can significantly impair quality of life, is highly prevalent in the general population and has been reported at elevated rates among military personnel and veterans, where environment exposures, operational conditions, and comorbidities can contribute to chronic ocular surface disease. In this context, therapies that aim to restore ocular surface health may have dual-use relevance across civilian and defence settings.