BioAge to Begin Mid-2026 Phase 1b/2a DME Trial of Oral BGE-102
BioAge will start a Phase 1b/2a proof-of-concept trial of oral NLRP3 inhibitor BGE-102 in diabetic macular edema patients in mid-2026, assessing intraocular IL-6 reduction, visual acuity and retinal thickness, with results expected mid-2027. This ophthalmology study runs alongside the cardiovascular risk Phase 2a trial with data due in 2H26.
1. BioAge Proposes $75 Million Common Stock Offering
BioAge Labs, Inc. today filed a preliminary prospectus supplement with the SEC to offer up to $75.0 million of its common shares and has granted underwriters a 30-day option to purchase an additional $11.25 million. Goldman Sachs, Piper Sandler and Citigroup are acting as joint book-running managers. The company intends to use net proceeds, together with existing cash and marketable securities, to advance clinical and process development of BGE-102, further its NLRP3 and APJ programs, support manufacturing scale-up, fund working capital and capital expenditures, reduce indebtedness and for general corporate purposes. The offering will be made pursuant to a shelf registration statement that became effective on November 25, 2025, and the timing, size and terms remain subject to market conditions and SEC review.
2. Initiates Phase 1b/2a Proof-of-Concept Trial in DME for Oral NLRP3 Inhibitor BGE-102
BioAge has expanded its lead candidate BGE-102 into ophthalmology, planning a randomized Phase 1b/2a proof-of-concept study in diabetic macular edema patients beginning mid-2026. The trial will evaluate three arms—BGE-102 monotherapy, combination with a VEGF inhibitor, and control—with primary endpoint of percent change in intraocular IL-6. Exploratory endpoints include best-corrected visual acuity, central subfield thickness and biomarker panels. Results are expected mid-2027, running alongside a Phase 2a cardiovascular risk study with topline data anticipated in the second half of 2026. In preclinical DME models, oral BGE-102 achieved near-complete protection against vascular leakage, preserved up to 90% of microvascular integrity, and reduced retinal lipofuscin accumulation by approximately 80%.