Johnson & Johnson has stopped development of an eye disease gene therapy after reviewing data from one of its key readouts for 2026.
Exiting the first quarter, J&J named (PDF) data from the phase 2b Parasol study among its key events for 2026. The sham-controlled clinical trial evaluated JNJ-1887 for the treatment of geographic atrophy, an advanced form of the eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD). J&J, which acquired the asset in 2020, bet the gene therapy could protect retinal cells to slow and prevent disease progression.
But a J&J spokesperson confirmed to Fierce this morning that the pharma has dropped JNJ-1887 from its pipeline.
“Following an assessment of topline data from the phase 2b Parasol study, the development program of JNJ-1887 in geographic atrophy will be discontinued,” the spokesperson said. “We continue to advance research in ophthalmology and are applying learnings from this program to our early-stage pipeline.”
Hemera Biosciences took JNJ-1887, which was previously called HMR59, into the clinic in 2017. J&J paid an undisclosed amount to buy the biotech in 2020 and began the 305-subject Parasol trial in 2023. The trial tested JNJ-1887's ability to reduce geographic atrophy lesions in patients 18 months after they received a single intravitreal injection of the gene therapy.
The asset is an adeno-associated virus serotype 2 expressing a soluble form of CD59. Naturally occurring CD59 inhibits the membrane attack complex, an immune effector of the complement terminal pathway that is implicated in AMD development and progression.
Other companies continue to develop gene therapies for geographic atrophy. Like J&J, Sanofi identified the complement pathway as a way to treat the eye disease, but the French drugmaker picked different targets. Sanofi’s SAR446597, which entered phase 2 last year, targets two pieces of the complement pathway, namely C1s in the classical pathway and factor Bb in the alternative pathway.
J&J’s second-quarter earnings update Wednesday also confirmed previously disclosed pipeline changes. The drugmaker removed botaretigene sparoparvovec from the pipeline following the sale of the rare eye disease gene therapy to MeiraGTx. And the Big Pharma scrubbed off a pair of CAR-T cell therapies in the wake of its decision to end development of the once-hyped drug candidates.