The expanded collaboration will evaluate suprachoroidal delivery of CPD100 in wet AMD
July 13, 2026
Cascade Prodrug Inc. and Uneedle are advancing their collaboration to evaluate CPD100, Cascade’s first-in-class hypoxia-targeted therapeutic, in neovascular, or wet, age-related macular degeneration.
Cascade selected Uneedle’s Bella-Vue suprachoroidal microneedle system to support targeted delivery of CPD100 to the choroid, where disease-driving angiogenic processes originate in wet AMD. Uneedle will present the collaboration and initial development progress publicly for the first time at the OIS 9th Retina Innovation Summit, on July 14th in Montreal, Canada.
CPD100 is designed to act preferentially in hypoxic disease environments. In vitro studies under hypoxic conditions showed that low concentrations of CPD100 induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in endothelial cells while preserving retinal cell viability. These findings support the potential for a targeted anti-angiogenic effect in hypoxic regions of the macula.
HEAR FROM CASCADE AND UNEEDLE LEADERS
“Cascade is excited to work with Uneedle as we advance CPD100 toward clinical development in wet AMD,” said Allan Cochrane, president of Cascade Prodrug Inc. “By combining CPD100’s hypoxia-targeted mechanism of action with Uneedle’s Bella-Vue suprachoroidal microneedle system, we believe we can create a compelling therapeutic approach designed to address pathological angiogenesis while preserving retinal integrity.”
“CPD100 represents a highly differentiated therapeutic approach for wet AMD, and we are pleased that Cascade has selected Bella-Vue to support targeted delivery to the suprachoroidal space,” said Jeroen Wissink, chief executive officer of Uneedle. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to enabling partners with a precise, validated microneedle platform for the next generation of ophthalmic therapeutics.”
TARGETING Q4 FDA MEETING
Uneedle’s Bella-Vue platform has been evaluated across multiple preclinical and clinical studies, including a Phase 1 study in wet AMD. These evaluations successfully demonstrated the feasibility, safety and accuracy of suprachoroidal delivery. Initial in vivo tolerability data from Cascade’s first suprachoroidal administration study using Bella-Vue further support progression into the planned preclinical proof-of-concept study with CPD100, which is already underway.
Cascade and Uneedle aim to complete the ongoing preclinical proof-of-concept work and support an initial INTERACT-FDA meeting in Q4 2026. Cascade is also securing funding to complete CMC activities and nonclinical GLP-enabling studies required to support IND clearance and subsequent clinical development.
