Category: Research and Developments

Results from First Cohort Expected in the Second Quarter of 2016 Acucela (formerly Ocata) has announced that the first patient has been enrolled in the company’s Phase 2 clinical trial using Ocata’s proprietary RPE cells in patients with atrophic (dry) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The purpose of the trial is to evaluate safety and explore efficacy as compared [Read More]

Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that they have enrolled the first patient in their multicenter Phase 2 clinical trial of NT-503 Encapsulated Cell Therapy (ECT) for the long-term treatment of wet macular degeneration (AMD). NT-503 is a unique vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor protein continuously produced by Neurotech’s versatile ECT implant. “This landmark proof-of-concept [Read More]

NIH research points to microglia as potential therapeutic target in retinitis pigmentosa Spider-like cells inside the brain, spinal cord and eye hunt for invaders, capturing and then devouring them. These cells, called microglia, often play a beneficial role by helping to clear trash and protect the central nervous system against infection. But a new study [Read More]

Intas Pharmaceuticals, a company based in India, has launched RAZUMAB™, an anti-VEGF drug that is “biosimilar” to Lucentis. This means that RAZUMAB has a synthesized chemical structure that can substitute for, but not duplicate, Lucentis. To make biosimilarity possible, scientists must show that the new product is highly similar and have no significant differences from [Read More]

by Dan Roberts (Also available in audiovisual format) INTRODUCTION This is my 10th annual summary of leading research and developments that have occurred during the past 12 months in the field of blindness and low vision. For more details about any of the reports, sources are provided. Many studies and clinical trials are moving ever [Read More]