Atsena Therapeutics selected ATSN-401 as its lead clinical candidate for Stargardt disease, and the program is now moving through IND-enabling studies. The gene therapy candidate is intended to advance toward an investigational new drug application for a retinal disorder driven by inherited genetic degeneration. The selection marks a key portfolio consolidation step at Atsena, aligning engineering and regulatory work behind a single lead program. By moving into IND-enabling studies, the company is effectively transitioning from preclinical development into the requirements for first-in-human evaluation. For investors and the gene therapy ecosystem, the decision reflects how retinal developers increasingly streamline around one best-fit lead before initiating formal regulatory timelines. While specific preclinical details were not provided in the brief, the move indicates ATSN-401 is the company’s primary near-term pathway to clinical testing.