BioAge Labs Expands BGE-102 Development Program Into Ophthalmology, With Initial Proof-Of-Concept Study In Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema

BGE-102 has the potential for therapeutic retinal exposure with oral delivery, reducing treatment burden in ocular indications currently treated with intravitreal therapies

Growing preclinical and clinical evidence points to central role of the inflammasome in multiple retinal diseases where inflammation is a key feature, including diabetic macular edema (DME)

BGE-102 has demonstrated favorable tolerability to date in ongoing Phase 1 trial, with robust reductions in key inflammatory biomarkers including hsCRP, IL-6, and IL-1β

Proof-of-concept trial in DME is designed to demonstrate ocular target engagement, supporting future development across inflammation-driven retinal diseases

DME trial, with results anticipated mid-2027, to run in parallel with the BGE-102 Phase 2a cardiovascular risk trial, with results anticipated 2H26

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioAge Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIOA) ("BioAge", "the Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutic product candidates for metabolic diseases by targeting the biology of human aging, today announced expansion of its BGE-102 development program into ophthalmology, with an initial proof-of-concept (POC) study in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). BGE-102 is a potent, structurally novel, orally administered small molecule NLRP3 inhibitor with potential for therapeutic retinal exposure.

NLRP3 inflammasome activation is a central pathological feature in a range of retinal diseases. In DME, activation of NLRP3 by hyperglycemia leads to vascular leakage and compromised vision. DME represents the initial proof-of-concept indication for BGE-102 in ophthalmology, with potential for expansion into additional NLRP3-driven retinal diseases, including geographic atrophy.