Gemini Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharma company dedicated to developing treatments for genetically defined age-related macular degeneration (AMD), announced a series of corporate updates. Among these is a corporate restructuring that will see 80 percent of the company’s workforce laid off.

Gemini Therapeutics announced Oct. 5 that the company is reducing employee headcount by 20 percent and ceasing some research and non-clinical programs as part of a corporate restructuring effort to focus on a clinical trial for geographic atrophy.

Retinal tissue was regrown in three patients with age-related macular degeneration with geographic atrophy or dry (atrophic) AMD in a Phase I/IIa study conducted by Lineage Cell Therapeutics.

Novartis cut three Phase III trials of the eye therapy Beovu (brolucizumab) after the studies showed higher rates of intraocular inflammation with frequent dosing intervals of the therapy.

Gyroscope Therapeutics – with headquarters in Stevenage, UK – is merging with Ambler, Pennsylvania-based Orbit Biomedical. The companies will operate under the Gyroscope name and focus on gene therapies for diseases of the eye.

Pixium Vision announced that the bioelectronics company’s subretinal PRIMA system met the endpoints of the feasibility study, at interim 6 months follow-up after implantation and rehabilitation for patients with advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Two have been around in the pharmaceutical industry for a long time, and one is a relative newcomer. In considering this year’s pharma innovators to profile, the results of their accomplishments, not how long they have been around, steered the direction of this feature. Donna Murphy, global CEO of the recently formed agency network Havas Health & You; Abraham Gutman, president and CEO of AG Mednet; and C. David Nicholson, executive VP and chief R&D officer of Allergan, are being saluted for bringing new innovations to the fields of pharmaceutical advertising, clinical trial imaging and R&D, and their accomplishments are expected to echo into the future.

How we used VR and AR to create connections between physicians and patients.