Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41377064›Full record

ArticleOphthalmology science2026

CTx001 for Geographic Atrophy: A Gene Therapy Expressing Soluble, Truncated Complement Receptor 1 (Mini-CR1).

Sonika Rathi, Athanasios Didangelos, Sofiya Pisarenka, Rachel Green, Stamatia Zafeiri, Peter Emery-Billcliff, Nakul Patel, Pamela Whalley, Parisa Zamiri, Viranga Tilakaratna and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Ophthalmology science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Complement in brain and eye disease: shared mechanisms, convergent pathologies, and common therapeutic opportunities.Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Sonika RathiInstitute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Athanasios DidangelosComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Sofiya PisarenkaComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Rachel GreenComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Stamatia ZafeiriComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Peter Emery-BillcliffComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Nakul PatelComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Pamela WhalleyComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Parisa ZamiriComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Viranga TilakaratnaFuture Biomanufacturing Research Hub, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Ewa SzulaCharles River Laboratories, Keele, Newcastle, UK.
Rafiq HasanComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Mustafa M MunyeComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Richard D UnwinDivision of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK.
Paul N BishopDivision of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Dennis KeefeComplement Therapeutics, London, UK.
Simon J ClarkInstitute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Preclinical evaluation of a novel gene therapy called CTx001 for treating geographic atrophy (GA). CTx001 encodes a protein called mini-CR1, which is a soluble fragment of complement receptor 1. Design: CTx001 was used in vitro and in vivo to analyze expression and complement-modulating activity. Mini-CR1 was used in vitro to analyze complement-modulating activity, and its ability to cross human Bruch's membrane was evaluated ex vivo. Participants: CTx001, which is a self-complementary rAAV2 gene therapy vector expressing mini-CR1. Recombinant mini-CR1 protein, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell lines, serum, human donor Bruch's membrane, and a rat model. Methods: Recombinant mini-CR1 protein was produced in mammalian cells and purified. C3b and C4b breakdown assays were performed. Wieslab assays measured complement regulatory activity in serum. Mini-CR1 binding to C3b was measured using biolayer interferometry. The diffusion of mini-CR1 across human Bruch's membrane was assessed using an Ussing chamber. Retinal pigment epithelium cell lines were transduced with CTx001 to assess expression, including directionality and complement modulatory activity. In vivo efficacy of CTx001 was tested using a rat laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model. Main Outcome Measures: C3b/iC3b/C4b degradation, inhibition of membrane attack complex (MAC) formation in human serum, mini-CR1 binding to C3b, vector transduction efficiency, protein secretion and localization, and complement inhibition in vivo. Results: Mini-CR1 demonstrated potent cofactor activity for factor I-mediated cleavage of C3b, iC3b, and C4b; therefore, it inhibits both the alternative and classical complement pathways. It inhibited complement activation with an IC Conclusions: CTx001 is a potent inhibitor of complement. It efficiently transduces RPE cells, resulting in apical and basolateral secretion and crosses Bruch's membrane, so it is expected to deliver mini-CR1 to the retina and choroid. These findings support its further development as a 1-time gene therapy for addressing complement overactivation in GA. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Indexed as

AAVAMDComplementGene therapyMacular degeneration

Identifiers

PMID41377064
PMCPMC12689202

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.