The Macular Degeneration Association, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing blindness, today issued an urgent warning to patients suffering from a form of the disease known as “intermediate dry age-related macular degeneration.” MDA leaders and ophthalmologists are advising patients to talk with their doctors about a proven and commonly prescribed vitamin supplement containing zinc, an ingredient …
Ophthalmology
Topical Dorzolamide-Timolol With Intravitreous Anti–Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Topical dorzolamide hydrochloride-timolol appears to reduce central subfield thickness and subretinal fluid in eyes of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and incomplete response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in JAMA Ophthalmology. Jayanth Sridhar, M.D., from the Thomas Jefferson University in …
SBIR-STTR Success: Charlesson LLC/EYECRO
Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of blindness and vision loss in people over 50 –and with life expectancies well into the 80s, it is estimated that 1 and 3 elderly individuals will have to deal with this degenerative disease. The remedy? Monthly injections (via needle) into the back of the eye, where the disease lives. Not only does this method come with the possibility of an infection, …
Scientists Successfully Apply Gene Therapy against Retinitis Pigmentosa
A collaboration between scientists in the UK and the USA has shown that gene therapy can give life-long protection to the light-sensitive photoreceptor cells responsible for colour vision in a mouse model of the most common inherited eye disorder. These findings are significant because they open up a new line of research to prevent nerve cell death in retinitis pigmentosa and age-related …
Scientists find a way to ‘shrink’ blind spot in human eye
The optic nerve that sends visual signals to the brain must pass through the retina which creates a hole in that light-sensitive layer of tissue. When images project to that precise location, we miss them. This blind spot can be ‘shrunk’ despite the fact that the hole in our visual field cannot be. The findings raise the possibility that similar methods might improve vision in people with …
Preserving photoreceptor cells following retinal injury: Inhibition of alternate complement pathway revealed
Retinal detachment can occur as a result of either blunt trauma or as a side effect of a variety of ophthalmic diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, ocular tumors, and age-related macular degeneration. There is a significant increase in the immune system's 'alternative complement pathway' following retinal detachment, researchers report, adding that this pathway facilitated early …
Bio Matters: Family influences led eyecro’s executive into scientific research
Rafal Farjo, Ph.D. is chief operating officer of both eyecro and Charlesson, which are involved in research to advance treatments for eye disease such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and ocular inflammation. Far from resisting his family’s interest in all things STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — Farjo embraced it. “I loved it, and I actually started …
Pharma News: Bayer, Johns Hopkins partner to develop new ophthalmic therapies
Bayer HealthCare has entered into a five-year collaboration agreement with The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, for the discovery and development of new therapies in ophthalmology targeting retinal diseases. Both the parties will jointly conduct research activities evaluating new targets and disease mechanisms, drug delivery technologies, and biomarkers for back-of-the-eye diseases with …
eyecro co-authors paper in Molecular and Cellular Biology studying mechanisms leading to Diabetic Retinopathy
Serum retinol-binding protein (RBP4) is the sole specific transport protein for retinol in the blood, but it is also an adipokine with retinol-independent, pro-inflammatory activity associated with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Here we show that RBP4-Tg mice develop progressive retinal degeneration, characterized by photoreceptor ribbon synapse …
Amarantus Announces the Presentation of Data Showing MANF”s Positive Effect on Retinal Function at Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting
Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc. announced the presentation of positive preclinical data for MANF (mesencephalic-astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor) in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, being held in Denver, CO. The results from preclinical studies demonstrate that MANF preserves the light-sensing function of photoreceptor …