04:54 AM EDT, 06/12/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Belite Bio ( BLTE ) said Wednesday its oral tablet tinlarebant for the treatment of Stargardt disease has secured Sakigake, or pioneer drug designation, by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan.

Sakigake designation is intended to accelerate the drug approval process in Japan for innovative drugs with prominent effectiveness targeting serious diseases, the company said.

Stargardt disease is a type of inherited retinal dystrophy that causes blurring or loss of central vision.