Ophthalmology

Investigators reported that the incidence of retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) but not retinal artery occlusion, increased in the 6 months after COVID-19 diagnosis.

According to the company, post-hoc analyses from Illuminate trial of sepofarsen demonstrate an encouraging efficacy signal when comparing active treatment and sham eyes to their corresponding contralateral eyes across multiple endpoints. The company plans to discuss findings with regulators in Q3.

An end-of-week review of retina news and stories from April 8-April 14.

According to review, patients with mild diabetic retinopathy at baseline fare better.

The trial marks the first-ever in vivo delivery of an experimental CRISPR gene editing medicine to a pediatric patient, with the company on track to complete dosing of the pediatric mid-dose cohort in the first half of 2022.

According to researchers at the University of California, Irvine, base editing may provide long-lasting retinal protection and prevent vision deterioration in patients with inherited retinal degeneration, specifically in Leber congenital amaurosis patients.

The trial will study the effect of the drug in treatment-naïve patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who are members of underrepresented patient populations, ie, Black, Hispanic, Latin American, and Indigenous people.

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) recently announced an expansion of their ‘Focus on Glaucoma’ and ‘Focus on Diabetes’ series with their new ‘Focus on Child Eye Health’ series in partnership with CooperVision.

Investigators found that patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration in all countries included in the study lost vision as a result of the lockdown and reduced number of treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Approval is based on year 1 data from the Phase III KESTREL and KITE trials investigating brolucizumab 6 mg versus aflibercept 2 mg in DME patients.

A team of investigators at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University in Japan have identified a gene necessary for the survival of retinal ganglion cells—a class of neurons located in the retina that are critical for vision.

Study focuses on ascertaining the risk of patients developing additional tumors

The company’s announcement marks first clinical trial in humans of Ocugen’s modifier gene therapy platform.

Horizon Therapeutics announces new data and a separate analysis will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 2022 Annual Meeting, showing that UPLIZNA reduced disease activity associated with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) over 3 years.

Bausch + Lomb and Clearside Biomedical Inc. are rolling out the new therapeutic, approved by the FDA for suprachoroidal use for the treatment of macular edema associated with uveitis.

If the Biologics License Application is approved by the FDA, the company could receive 12 years of marketing exclusivity for an FDA-approved alternative for the most frequently used anti-VEGF treatment in wet AMD patients in the United States.

A multifaceted evaluation that includes ultra-widefield imaging can reveal new information and influence treatment decisions.

Lower dose performs as effectively as a higher dose when treating ROP.

Suprachoroidal injections provide safe, effective drug delivery to target choroidal, retinal tissues.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the procedure required adjustments.

The company notes that its clinical trial of the light delivery system meets the primary efficacy endpoint and can offer hope to patients with dry AMD who are experiencing vision loss and currently have limited treatment options.

According to a team of investigators at University of California, Berkeley, tests of the drug Antabuse could prove the role of hyperactive retinal cells in blindness, potentially leading to better therapies.

Researchers from the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital Bonn and Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen suggest that assessments of the eye’s retina could help to detect a loss of brain substance, ie “brain atrophy.” The findings are based on data from the Rhineland Study.

Investigators observe survival rate with orbital retinoblastoma improves substantially due to a combination approach that includes intensive sequential treatment comprised of chemotherapy, enucleation, and external beam radiation therapy.

The implant achieves impressive efficacy and reduces treatment burden.