1. ENTER: VAR-002 | A BROAD-SPECTRUM GENE THERAPY
VAR-002 paves the way for a truly versatile gene therapy addressing vision loss regardless of the causative gene mutation, mechanism of disease, or type of photoreceptor involved. It is a broad-spectrum approach — transversal, effective, and economically viable — offering real therapeutic hope to thousands of patients who are currently without options.
2. Why Use Retinal Transcription Factors?
Rather than correcting one mutation at a time, we focus on retinal transcription factors—the proteins that orchestrate the genetic activity of photoreceptors.
These "genetic conductors" regulate the development, function, and survival of retinal cells. By targeting them, we aim to reactivate entire gene networks that are essential for vision.
3. Why We Focus on the CRX Gene
Our therapeutic candidate is based on CRX, one of the most critical transcription factors in the retina. CRX acts as a master switch, controlling the genetic programs that make photoreceptors function—and survive.
CRX is essential for:
- Building the structure of rods and cones
- Driving phototransduction, the process that converts light into visual signals
- Coordinating the maturation and maintenance of photoreceptors over time
At Variant, we use gene therapy to deliver a healthy version of CRX, with the goal of restoring balance to the retinal gene network. By doing so, we don’t just replace a missing component—we reboot the entire system at its source.
