April 06, 2026-
Opus Genetics announced a strategic financing agreement with Oberland Capital Management that could provide up to $155 million in non-dilutive funding, supporting the continued development and potential commercialization of its gene therapy pipeline targeting inherited retinal diseases (IRDs).
The agreement includes an initial $35 million upfront tranche, with additional funding available through future milestones and optional draws. As part of the transaction, Oberland Capital will also make a $5 million equity investment in Opus Genetics at $4.48 per share. The initial closing is expected around April 20, 2026.
According to the company, the new financing strengthens its financial position, bringing total cash resources to approximately $100 million and extending the company’s cash runway into 2029. This funding is expected to support completion of the pivotal studies for OPGx-LCA5 and OPGx-BEST1, potential regulatory submissions, and the possibility of receiving priority review vouchers if approved.
Opus is currently advancing several AAV-based gene therapy programs designed to restore vision or slow blindness in patients with rare inherited retinal diseases. One key near-term milestone is the Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating OPGx-BEST1, with three-month topline data from the full Cohort 1 expected in mid-2026.
The company is also planning to expand its clinical pipeline with multiple additional programs expected to enter the clinic over the next two years. These include OPGx-RDH12, which targets a childhood-onset retinal disorder and is expected to begin U.S. clinical trials in Q4 2026, as well as OPGx-MERTK, planned to enter clinical testing in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Another program, OPGx-RHO, is being developed for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa and is expected to enter clinical development in 2027.
Inherited retinal diseases represent a significant unmet medical need, often leading to progressive vision loss and blindness. By leveraging gene replacement strategies using AAV vectors, Opus Genetics aims to address the underlying genetic mutations responsible for these conditions.
With strengthened funding and multiple programs advancing toward clinical testing, the company believes its gene therapy platform is positioned to deliver potential vision-restoring therapies for patients with rare retinal diseases.
