Phase 1/2 Open-Label Dose-Escalation Study to Evaluate Safety of a Single Intravitreal Injection of RTx-021 in Patients With Stargardt Disease

Phase 1/2, Open-Label, Dose-Escalation Study to Evaluate Safety of a Single Intravitreal Injection of RTx-021 in Patients With Stargardt Disease (AURORA)

Phase 1/2 Open-Label Dose-Escalation Study to Evaluate Safety of a Single Intravitreal Injection of RTx-021 in Patients With Stargardt Disease (NCT07439887) is a Phase 1 / Phase 2 interventional studying Stargardt Disease, sponsored by Ray Therapeutics, Inc.. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

About This Trial

A Phase 1/2, open-label, non-randomized, dose-escalation study, where a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 18 eligible patients with Stargardt Disease will be enrolled sequentially in up to 3 dose cohorts of RTx-021. Enrolled patients will receive a single, unilateral intravitreal injection of RTx-021 in the study eye and be followed for 5 years.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Stargardt Disease, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

With a target enrollment of 18 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Male and female patients \>= 16 years of age - Able to comply with the study visit schedule and all protocol assessments - Diagnosis of Stargardt Disease (genetic testing required) - Study eye and fellow eye Best Corrected Visual Acuity meeting study criteria - Presence of retinal ganglion cells and/or retinal nerve fiber layer on Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography testing at Screening confirmed by central image reading center - your organs (liver, kidneys, etc.) are working well enough based on blood tests and general good health Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - Participation in a clinical study (ocular or non-ocular) with an investigational drug, agent, or therapy in the past six months - Concurrent participation in another interventional clinical ocular study - Prior receipt of any gene therapy (ocular or other), retinal implant, or ocular cell therapy - Pre-existing eye conditions in either eye that would preclude the planned treatment or are significant enough to interfere with the interpretation of study endpoints or procedural complications - Known steroid responders if their intraocular pressure was not able to be managed effectively with topical pressure-lowering medications after prior use of steroid medications - Complicating systemic diseases including those in which the disease itself, or the treatment of the disease, can alter ocular and/or central nervous system function (e.g. radiation treatment of the orbit; leukemia with optic nerve involvement) - Any immunological response dysfunction including, immuno-compromising diseases or use of immunosuppressive medications, among others - Cataract or other ocular (including refractive) surgery, intraocular and/or peri-ocular injection in either eye within the prior four months (i.e. 120 days) prior to screening - Prior vitrectomy or aphakia in the study eye ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language

Inclusion Criteria: * Male and female patients \>= 16 years of age * Able to comply with the study visit schedule and all protocol assessments * Diagnosis of Stargardt Disease (genetic testing required) * Study eye and fellow eye Best Corrected Visual Acuity meeting study criteria * Presence of retinal ganglion cells and/or retinal nerve fiber layer on Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography testing at Screening confirmed by central image reading center * Adequate organ function and general good health Exclusion Criteria: * Participation in a clinical study (ocular or non-ocular) with an investigational drug, agent, or therapy in the past six months * Concurrent participation in another interventional clinical ocular study * Prior receipt of any gene therapy (ocular or other), retinal implant, or ocular cell therapy * Pre-existing eye conditions in either eye that would preclude the planned treatment or are significant enough to interfere with the interpretation of study endpoints or procedural complications * Known steroid responders if their intraocular pressure was not able to be managed effectively with topical pressure-lowering medications after prior use of steroid medications * Complicating systemic diseases including those in which the disease itself, or the treatment of the disease, can alter ocular and/or central nervous system function (e.g. radiation treatment of the orbit; leukemia with optic nerve involvement) * Any immunological response dysfunction including, immuno-compromising diseases or use of immunosuppressive medications, among others * Cataract or other ocular (including refractive) surgery, intraocular and/or peri-ocular injection in either eye within the prior four months (i.e. 120 days) prior to screening * Prior vitrectomy or aphakia in the study eye * Known sensitivity to any component of the study treatment or contraindication to medications planned for use in the peri-procedural period (e.g. povidone-iodine to prep for intravitreal injection) * Known contraindication to prophylactic steroid regimen * Current pregnancy or breastfeeding * Any other condition that would not allow the patient to complete follow-up examinations during the study

Treatments Being Tested

GENETIC

RTx-021

Optogenetic gene therapy

Locations (3)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

RayTx Clinical Site

Bakersfield, California, United States

UPMC Vision Institute

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

RayTx Clinical Site

Bellaire, Texas, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT07439887), the sponsor (Ray Therapeutics, Inc.), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT07439887 clinical trial studying?

Who can participate in NCT07439887?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT07439887?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT07439887. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT07439887. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.