The Retina TL;DR: Rethinking retinal detachment repair with Tony Stefater, MD, PhD, and Tommy Stryjewski, MD

Like what you just watched? The goal of The Retina TL;DR video series, hosted by Christina Y. Weng, MD, MBA, FASRS, is to provide fast-paced high-level information for today’s modern retina specialist. We’d love to hear your feedback. Email us at eyecarenetwork@mjhlifesciences.com

In the debut episode of Modern Retina’s The Retina TL;DR, host Christina Y. Weng, MD, MBA, FASRS, welcomes Tony Stefater, MD, PhD, and Tommy Stryjewski, MD—both practicing retina specialists in Boston and co-founders of Pykus Therapeutics—to discuss their company’s lead asset, PYK-2101, a novel biodegradable hydrogel designed as a retinal sealant. Weng is professor and the Alice R. McPherson Retina Research Foundation Chair in Ophthalmology, and fellowship program director, vitreoretinal diseases and surgery with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Weng set the stage by noting that the goal of this new video series is to address timely retina topics in a concise, digestible way: “I was shocked to recently learn that the average attention span these days is a mere 47 seconds.” To honor that theme, she asked Stefater to provide the “TL;DR” (too long; didn't read) on PYK-2101.

“We all know that retinal tamponade for retinal detachment surgery hasn’t changed in 40 years,” said Stefater. “We’re still doing the same thing—gas and oil—and it imposes a tremendous burden on patients after surgery… Pykus is working to develop a different way of doing retinal detachment surgery that radically improves the experience for patients.”

What is PYK-2101?

Stryjewski, who serves as chief scientific officer, explained that calling the product a “retinal glue” is not inaccurate. “PYK-2101 is a hydrogel… also hyaluronic acid–based. But what makes it so special is it’s sticky. It will stay wherever you apply it, and so that’s what gives it the sealing properties.” Rather than relying on buoyant tamponade agents, the hydrogel directly seals retinal breaks while being biodegradable and biocompatible.

Why change now?

Although traditional gases and oils achieve high anatomic success, Stefater emphasized the burden on patients: “I still think 10% to 15% failure rate… is not trivial. And we recognized [early] the patients face down in the waiting room complaining about how this was the worst week of their lives.” He also pointed out the added drawbacks of accelerated cataract progression and delayed return to normal vision. PYK-2101, by contrast, could potentially shorten recovery, reduce complications, and spare patients the challenges of positioning.

Challenges and safety

Innovation comes with caveats. Stryjewski acknowledged the learning curve: “This is a new technique… If this sealant is not applied correctly, the fluid is going to go through that break.” In their pilot study, 2 failures were attributed to improper application, underscoring the need for training. Importantly, long-standing concerns with hydrogels such as intraocular pressure spikes were not observed in this formulation.

Pilot data and next steps

Stefater shared encouraging early data: “We treated 11 patients. Eight out of 11 were successful primary surgeries… per protocol, we’re looking at about a 90+% success rate. Also… we did not see any significant IOP problems… and we saw excellent tolerability.” These findings provide confidence to proceed toward a pivotal US trial, pending regulatory approval.

Advice for physician-innovators

Both founders reflected on their journey from trainees to entrepreneurs. Stryjewski encouraged young colleagues to “get a mentor and start early,” emphasizing that flexibility of thought in training years can foster innovation. Stefater added: “You don’t want to start with a cool technology and go looking for the right use… Start with the problem… and be agnostic as to the solution.”

Looking ahead

For now, PYK-2101 remains investigational, but the early momentum is notable. Interested clinicians can follow updates at pykustherapeutics.com.

Christina Y. Weng, MD, MBA, FASRS, is professor and the Alice R. McPherson Retina Research Foundation Chair in Ophthalmology, and fellowship program director, vitreoretinal diseases and surgery with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She has no relevant disclosures.

Tony Stefater, MD, PhD, is co-founder and president of Pykus Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He continues to see patients in private practice at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston.

Tommy Stryjewski, MD, is co-founder and chief scientific officer of Pykus Therapeutics. He continues to see patients at Tallman Eye Associates, a private practice in the Boston area.