Study of EO2002 in Subjects With Corneal Edema Secondary to Corneal Endothelial Dysfunction (EMERALD)

July 27, 2026 updated by: Emmecell

A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Study of EO2002 in Participants With Corneal Edema Secondary to Corneal Endothelial Dysfunction (EMERALD)

This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a single injection of EO2002 at one of two dose levels (150,000 or 500,000 magnetic human corneal endothelial cells [mHCECs]), compared with a placebo injection, in participants with corneal edema caused by corneal endothelial dysfunction.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EO2002, an investigational magnetic human corneal endothelial cell (mHCEC) therapy, in adults with corneal edema secondary to corneal endothelial dysfunction. Participants will be randomized to receive a single intracameral injection of one of two doses of EO2002 (150,000 or 500,000 cells) or placebo.

The study will compare the effects of EO2002 on visual acuity and corneal thickness, while also evaluating safety over a 52-week follow-up period. Approximately 105 participants will be treated at multiple sites in the United States.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

121

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Key Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Symptomatic central corneal edema that is primarily responsible for loss of vision associated with endothelial dysfunction which may be secondary to Fuchs corneal dystrophy or pseudophakic bullous keratopathy.
  2. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS)-best-corrected distance visual acuity between 20 and 65 letters inclusive (≥ 20 and ≤ 65 letters)

  3. Central corneal thickness ≥ 600 μm and ≤ 1,000 μm, OR Medical Monitor review and approval based on either:

    1. Historical CCT increased by ≥ 50 μm OR
    2. Findings of edema by corneal tomography or Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography (AS-OCT).
  4. Participant is considered a surgical candidate for full-thickness corneal transplantation or endothelial (partial thickness) keratoplasty (EK) consistent with standard-of-care indications.

Key Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Corneal disease in either eye (other than corneal endothelial dysfunction secondary to Fuchs dystrophy or pseudophakic bullous keratopathy) including active or prior herpetic ocular infection, severe dry eye disease (e.g., Sjogren's), or active inflammation.
  2. Central corneal scarring from trauma, burns, or infection, or band keratopathy
  3. History of keratoconus or other corneal ectasia (e.g., keratoglobus and pellucid marginal degeneration).
  4. Visually significant cataract, that may limit the participant's ability to demonstrate treatment-related improvement in BCVA.
  5. Presence of an anterior chamber, sutured, or scleral-fixated intraocular lens.
  6. Presence of a multifocal or diffractive intraocular lens.
  7. Prior vitrectomy.
  8. Corneal refractive surgery.
  9. Descemet dettachment
  10. Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), intraocular pressure (IOP)- lowering implant (e.g., Durysta® or iDose®), or any incisional glaucoma surgery (e.g., trabeculectomy, glaucoma drainage implant).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 150K cells - EO2002
Intracameral injection of 150K magnetic human corneal endothelial cells
Biological: 150K cells
Intracameral injection - 150K dose
Experimental: 500K cells - EO2002
Intracameral injection of 500K magnetic human corneal endothelial cells
Biological: 500K cells
Intracameral injection - 500K dose
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Intracameral injection of vehicle (no cells)
Procedure: Placebo
Intracameral injection of vehicle

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
BCVA
Time Frame: 26 weeks
Proportion of study eyes achieving ≥ 15-letter best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement at 26 weeks post-treatment as compared to baseline.
26 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
BCVA
Time Frame: 26 weeks
Mean change in BCVA compared to baseline
26 weeks
CCT
Time Frame: 26 weeks
Mean change in CCT compared to baseline
26 weeks
BCVA
Time Frame: 26 weeks
Proportion of subjects achieving ≥10-letter BCVA improvement from baseline
26 weeks
BCVA
Time Frame: 26 weeks
Proportion of subjects achieving ≥70 letters (ETDRS)
26 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Emmecell

Investigators

  • Study Director: Noelia Kunzevitzky, PhD, Emmecell

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

February 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 22, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 27, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • EMME-002

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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