- Major public funding for the Nice biotech: Roca Therapeutics receives over €1.1 million through the European program FEDER-FSE+-FTJ 2021–2027, co-funded by the European Union and the SUD Region.
- An innovative eye health project: RCT002 is an innovative non-invasive eye drop treatment for rare and debilitating ocular diseases such as radiation maculopathy and diabetic macular edema.
- A mobilized regional ecosystem: the project is supported by Eurobiomed, the accounting firm DSO, and their legal counsel Me Graziani, with strong ties to the health innovation ecosystem of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis.
Targeted public support for health innovation
The local biomedical innovation network is strengthened through the financial support granted to Roca Therapeutics, a biotech company based in the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis. The company, co-founded by Zaki Sellam, Cyril Ronco, Rachid Benhida, Gilles Pagès, and Maeva Dufies, was selected as part of the European program Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Massif des Alpes FEDER-FSE+-FTJ 2021–2027, a strategic lever for regional innovation funding.
The allocated amount — €1,106,120.40 — is co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the SUD Region – Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. This funding is part of a total budget of €1,580,172 (excluding taxes) dedicated to the implementation of the RCT002 project. The project focuses on the development of a non-invasive ophthalmic drug.
The initiative is led regionally by the FEDER Sud team, in collaboration with the “Europe in the South” platform, responsible for promoting innovative projects benefiting from European funding.
A non-invasive approach for orphan diseases
The RCT002 project aims to develop an innovative eye drop targeting neovascular ocular diseases, primarily radiation maculopathy — a severe complication affecting over half of patients treated with radiotherapy/proton therapy for uveal melanoma, a rare eye cancer.
This condition is characterized by the formation of abnormal blood vessels in the retina, causing macular edema that leads to progressive, and sometimes irreversible, loss of central vision. Current treatments rely on frequent intraocular injections, which are not approved at the European level, are physically and mentally burdensome, and often ineffective in the long term.
In response to this situation, Roca Therapeutics is introducing a breakthrough technology. The RCT002 eye drop targets new therapeutic mechanisms, offering a non-invasive, at-home treatment that reduces hospitalization risks and improves patient compliance.
A structured, supported, and locally rooted project
The RCT002 program is scheduled over a 28-month period (January 2024 to April 2026) and aims for three main deliverables:
- Completion of preclinical studies,
- Evaluation of the product for related indications, notably diabetic macular edema,
- Pre-industrialization of the compound, a necessary step before launching the first clinical trials.
The stated goal is to enter clinical phase (1b/2a) within 12 months.
To secure both scientific and industrial milestones, Roca Therapeutics is supported by the Eurobiomed competitiveness cluster, a key player in health innovation in the Greater South region. Additionally, Axess Développement, a specialist in the structuring of complex technological projects, provides operational support.
Source / More information : https://www.linkedin.com/posts/roca-therapeutics_feder-activity-7322614118165745664-L4pW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAmzITsBG_nQIEGhAx2NjoFDc_VOqaJJFX4
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