Encinitas, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2023) - Kiora Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: KPRX), ("Kiora" or the "Company") today announced three abstract acceptances for oral and poster presentation at the 2023 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in New Orleans, La., April 23-27, 2023. Further results from each of these three studies will be reported at the conference.

A presentation will report interim results on safety, tolerability and efficacy from the ABACUS study, the ongoing, first-in-human clinical trial of KIO-301, a small-molecule photoswitch, intended to restore sight in patients with the orphan disease, retinitis pigmentosa.

A second presentation will report on outcomes in an 8 patient clinical study of KIO-201, a crosslinked, chemically modified form of hyaluronic acid, in patients with the rare disease, persistent corneal epithelial defects (PCED).

A third presentation will report additional results from a completed phase 1 trial for KIO-100, a DHODH inhibitor, intravitreally injected in 12 patients with autoimmune posterior uveitis, an orphan disease.

Accepted ARVO abstracts and exposition details are listed below:

• Eric Daniels, et al. "An Intravitreal 'Photoswitch' Molecule (KIO-301) for Reanimation in Retinitis Pigmentosa: a first-in-human trial."
  • Will present early experiences, as part of an ongoing, larger clinical trial, of the first-in-human evaluation of safety, tolerability and efficacy of KIO-301 in late-stage retinitis pigmentosa patients.
  • The initial population in the trial has advanced retinitis pigmentosa with either bare light perception or no light perception.
  • Patient reported outcomes indicate an improvement in the ability to perceive light, delineate contrast between light and dark and improvement in overall vision function following KIO-301 injection.
  • There were no reported adverse events, including ocular adverse events, over the course of the study.

Presentation #: 5444
Session Title: Retinitis pigmentosa
Place and date: Room 353-355, April 27, 2023, 12:45 PM - 2:30 PM

• Enrique O. Graue-Hernandez, et al. "KIO-201, a Crosslinked, Chemically Modified Form of Hyaluronic Acid, Improves Wound Healing in Patients with Persistent Corneal Epithelial Defect."
  • KIO-201 is a potential treatment, evaluated in 5 previous corneal wound healing studies, that could aid in the complex healing process of PCEDs.
  • 8 eyes were evaluated by repeated fluorescein staining after at least 3 weeks of treatment. KIO-201 resulted in > 90.0% reduction in defect size at 4 weeks post treatment initiation.
  • 5 of 8 patients (62.5%) achieved the primary endpoint of healing over the 4-week period.
  • The drug was safe and well tolerated with a total of 6 non-serious adverse events reported in 2 of 8 patients (25.0%). All AEs were reported by investigators to be unrelated to study drug.

Poster # and Posterboard #: 3123 - C0275
Session date: April 25, 2023, 11:45 AM - 1:30 PM

• Stephan Thurau, et al. "A phase 1 trial treating autoimmune uveitis with a novel intraocular small molecule - further data analysis"
  • Intravitreal KIO-100 is safe and tolerable with the potential to treat patients with autoimmune posterior uveitis and Cystoid Macular Edema (CME).
  • Visual acuity increased in a dose dependent manner while combined inflammation score of cells in the anterior chamber and vitreal haze decreased by 53.0% at week 2 and remained low through week 4. CME resolved in 3 of 5 (66.7%) patients receiving 0.6 or 1.2 µg.
  • Intraocular pressure, visual fields and ERG remained stable in all groups throughout the study period.
  • No adverse events were observed.

Poster # and Posterboard #: 3544 - B0386
Session date: April 25, 2023, 3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

About Kiora Pharmaceuticals

Kiora Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing and commercializing products for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases. KIO-301 is being developed for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa. It is a molecular photoswitch that has the potential to restore vision in patients with inherited and/or age-related retinal degeneration. KIO-101 is being developed for the treatment of the Ocular Presentation of Rheumatoid Arthritis ("OPRA"). It is a next-generation, non-steroidal, immuno-modulatory and small molecule inhibitor of Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase ("DHODH") with what Kiora believes is best-in-class picomolar potency and a validated immune modulating mechanism (blocks T cell proliferation and proinflammatory cytokine release) designed to overcome the off-target side effects and safety issues associated with commercially available DHODH inhibitors. In addition, Kiora is developing KIO-201, a modified form of the natural polymer hyaluronic acid, designed to accelerate corneal wound healing.

In addition to news releases and SEC filings, we expect to post information on our website, www.kiorapharma.com, and social media accounts that could be relevant to investors. We encourage investors to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn as well as to visit our website and/or subscribe to email alerts.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release are "forward-looking" and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These "forward-looking" statements include statements relating to, among other things, the development and commercialization efforts and other regulatory or marketing approval efforts pertaining to Kiora's development-stage products, including KIO-101, KIO-201 and KIO-301, as well as the success thereof, with such approvals or success may not be obtained or achieved on a timely basis or at all. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from the statements set forth in this press release, including, among other things, the ability to conduct clinical trials on a timely basis, market and other conditions and certain risk factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Kiora's Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on July 7, 2022 or described in Kiora's other public filings. Kiora's results may also be affected by factors of which Kiora is not currently aware. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Kiora expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to such statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any changes in the events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

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