Macrophages are specialized white blood cells present in every tissue in the body and are part of the innate immune system.  Macrophages can take on many phenotypes, promoting inflammation or removing cellular debris for example, depending on their environment.  Macrophage dysregulation is suspected to cause or exacerbate a variety of diseases, including age-related macular degeneration.

Potentia is focusing on the development of a line of therapeutics that modify macrophage phenotype to target a key aspect of these diseases. Inhibition of the complement system is the first approach being developed by the company. Activation of complement is a main cause of local inflammation, resulting in the production of various signaling molecules that promote the proinflammatory phenotype of macrophages. Inhibition of this process will favor an anti-inflammatory phenotype and provide therapeutic benefits in a wide range of diseases.

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