Kris Barnes

Chairman and Members of the Committee, My name is Dr. Kris Barnes. I am the CEO and founder of Lento Bio, a preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing treatments for age-related diseases. I submit this written testimony in strong support of HB 1734 and HB 1735, and respectfully ask the Committee to give both bills a favorable recommendation. Lento Bio is developing LB-01-ME, an eyedrop treatment for presbyopia—the universal loss of near vision that affects every human being by middle age. Our asset has demonstrated the ability to restore lens flexibility in both mouse models and, notably, in isolated human lenses. We are currently advancing through IND-enabling studies with clinical trials planned for 2027. I write to you today because bills like HB 1734 and HB 1735 address a fundamental challenge facing small biotechnology companies: the "valley of death" between early clinical safety data and the prohibitively expensive late-stage trials required for full approval. For a company like ours—with a safe, low-cost therapeutic targeting a chronic but non-life-threatening condition—traditional financing pathways for Phase 2b and Phase 3 trials are extraordinarily difficult. These bills offer a pathway to continue generating meaningful clinical evidence while serving patients who wish to access promising treatments. New Hampshire is well-positioned to become a hub for biotech innovation, particularly given its proximity to the Boston-Cambridge corridor, which houses one of the world's densest concentrations of life sciences talent and capital. By establishing frameworks that enable responsible access to experimental treatments, New Hampshire can attract companies seeking regulatory environments that balance innovation with patient safety. HB 1734's adaptation of Montana's experimental treatment center model and HB 1735's expansion of right-to-try to chronic conditions represent precisely the kind of forward-thinking policy that would draw biotechnology operations northward. I can speak to this directly: if New Hampshire were to pass these bills, Lento Bio would seriously consider establishing operations in the state. Our therapeutic is particularly well-suited to frameworks like these—LB-01-ME has low manufacturing costs, a straightforward clinical trial structure, targets a condition that is debilitating but not deadly, and is derived from a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) parent compound with decades of human safety data. A pathway allowing paying patients to access LB-01-ME following Phase 1 safety studies, with data collection that could inform future development, would be enormously valuable to our program and to the patients who currently have no disease-modifying treatment options. I believe these bills represent sound policy that will accelerate therapeutic innovation, provide hope to patients with unmet needs, and position New Hampshire as a leader in the emerging bioeconomy. Thank you for your consideration. I am happy to provide additional information upon request. Respectfully submitted, Kris Barnes, PhD CEO and Founder, Lento Bio, Inc.