Curative Gets Patent for Metformin Eye Drop Targeting Blindness

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – January 23, 2026 – Curative Biotechnology, Inc. has secured a significant intellectual property milestone in its quest to combat degenerative eye diseases, announcing a patent allowance from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). The notice of allowance for its patent, titled “Druggable Target to Treat Retinal Degeneration,” fortifies the company's ambitious strategy to develop metformin-based eye drops for conditions that lead to progressive vision loss.

This development is a crucial step for the development-stage biomedical company (OTC: CUBT), which focuses on repurposing and reformulating existing drugs for new therapeutic applications. The patent protects a novel pharmacological target discovered by researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Curative holds the exclusive worldwide license to this technology, placing it at the forefront of a potentially groundbreaking new approach to ophthalmology.

“This allowance in Canada represents an important step in our strategy to build a global intellectual property portfolio supporting our ophthalmology platform,” said Paul Michaels, Chairman and President of Curative Biotechnology, in a statement. The Canadian patent, which includes 22 allowed claims, specifically covers topical ocular delivery methods, directly aligning with the company's development of a metformin eye drop.

The Science of a New Hope: Metformin's Ocular Promise

At the heart of Curative's platform is metformin, a drug best known for its decades-long use in managing type 2 diabetes. Its well-established safety profile and low cost have made it an attractive candidate for repurposing. Recent scientific inquiry has increasingly pointed toward its potential beyond metabolic disease, particularly in ophthalmology. The core invention, developed under the leadership of Dr. Kapil Bharti and his team at the NEI, identified a new biological target that could be modulated by metformin to slow or halt retinal degeneration.

Research from outside the company has also bolstered the case for metformin's role in eye health. Studies have suggested that the drug's anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic (preventing new blood vessel growth), and antioxidative properties could counteract the cellular stress that drives diseases like Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Retrospective clinical data has linked metformin use to a reduced risk of vision loss from both AMD and diabetic retinopathy.

Notably, research from the University of Chicago has indicated that metformin may significantly reduce the odds of developing AMD, even in individuals without diabetes. This has led some experts to label it an “almost perfect candidate” for a non-invasive, preventative strategy for early-stage AMD, a condition that affects millions and currently has limited treatment options before it progresses to more severe forms.

Building a Fortress of Intellectual Property

The Canadian patent allowance is more than a scientific validation; it is a strategic business move. By securing protection in a key international market, Curative strengthens its competitive position in the lucrative but crowded field of retinal disease therapeutics. The global market for these treatments was valued at over $13 billion in 2023 and is projected to nearly double by 2030, fueled by an aging population and a high degree of unmet medical need.

The current treatment landscape for advanced wet AMD is dominated by costly and invasive intravitreal injections. Meanwhile, geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of dry AMD, has only recently seen its first approved treatments, which also involve frequent injections and offer modest benefits. A safe, effective, and non-invasive eye drop could fundamentally disrupt this paradigm, offering a more patient-friendly and accessible alternative, especially for earlier stages of the disease.

Curative's focus on a reformulated, topically delivered version of metformin is designed to carve out a unique niche in this market. The new patent provides a defensive barrier, protecting its specific formulation and delivery method as it moves toward clinical trials and potential commercialization.

A Dual-Species Strategy: Treating Humans and Canines

In a novel strategic move, Curative is pursuing a parallel development path in veterinary medicine. The company plans to adapt its metformin eye drop to treat canine retinal degenerative diseases, including Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Progressive Rod and Cone Disease (PRCD). These inherited genetic conditions cause a gradual and irreversible loss of vision in dogs, ultimately leading to blindness.

Much like AMD in humans, there are currently no effective treatments to stop the progression of most forms of PRA. This represents a significant unmet need in veterinary ophthalmology and a source of distress for pet owners. The company notes that the underlying disease mechanisms in these canine conditions closely mirror those seen in human retinal degeneration.

This dual-species approach offers several strategic advantages. It allows the company to address a separate market while gathering valuable data on the drug's efficacy and safety in a biologically similar model. Success in the veterinary space could potentially de-risk the human clinical program and enhance the overall value of the technology platform, creating a pathway to revenue while the more lengthy human trials are underway.

The Path Forward: From Lab to Clinic

The next major hurdle for Curative is clinical validation. The company is advancing its program under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Eye Institute. This formal collaboration allows the company to leverage the expertise and resources of the very institution where the foundational technology was discovered, facilitating the complex process of translating a laboratory finding into a human therapy.

A first-in-human clinical trial for Curative's metformin-based reformulation is planned for 2026. The trial will target patients with intermediate and late-stage Age-Related Macular Degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older adults. The successful execution of this trial, contingent on regulatory and operational readiness, will be the ultimate test of the platform's potential.

For millions of patients and their families facing the prospect of irreversible vision loss, the journey of this common diabetes drug into a potential next-generation eye drop represents a new glimmer of hope. With its intellectual property strengthened and a clear clinical path ahead, the coming years will be critical in determining if this novel approach can change the standard of care for retinal degeneration.