In the first half of 2026, retinal gene therapy widened its reach from rare inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) to common chronic conditions.1 The second half moved several programs to the regulator's desk. The FDA accepted its first BLA for a gene-agnostic optogenetic therapy, an XLRP program met a pivotal primary end point, and the first pivotal gene therapy trial in geographic atrophy (GA) dosed its first patient. Optogenetics also gained wider attention in October, when its pioneers received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Here are 13 key gene therapy developments in retina from 2026, and their respective disease state.
