TAF Class of 2023 - Audrey Bernstein and Tere Williams, Upstate Medical University
TAF Class of 2023
Audrey Bernstein
Regenerative Wound Healing
SUNY Upstate Medical University Professor Audrey Bernstein wanted to change how corneal injuries and the scarring that can lead to vision loss are treated. Her patented therapeutic has the potential to have a profound impact well beyond ophthalmology.
Since inflammation is a major part of the scarring response, current remedies for corneal injuries often consist of a mix of corticosteroids and antibiotics. A key drawback is the fact that steroids produce inconsistent results and well-established adverse events that include cataracts and glaucoma.
Bernstein developed a topical liquid made of self-delivery RNA (sdRNA) that can penetrate cells without additional reagents. “This is a new medication,” she explains. “It gets into the cells and stops production of a certain protein that causes scarring and causes inflammation.”
Anyone who has had any kind of eye problem will tell you that available treatments are time-consuming. Most eye drugs need to be dosed frequently – often four or six times a day for several weeks. Conversely, one dose of sdRNA lasts 2-3 months. “That's a big change and would be a very exciting advance,” said Bernstein, who along with Research Associate Tere Williams, launched DUB Biologics to commercialize her invention.
Bernstein received a TAF Class of 2023 investment to conduct safety and efficacy testing. Noting that there are a number of medical conditions – diabetic wound healing, bedsores and lung fibrosis, to name a few -- with similar biological underpinnings, Williams added that DUB Biologics is looking to apply sdRNA in those areas as well. “We’re doing basic science with skin indications and TAF has been instrumental in allowing us to do that work.”