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Researchers Investigate New Treatment For Diabetic Retinopathy
Phase III Trial Underway
A new investigational drug being developed for potentially treating diabetic retinopathy, the major cause of blindness in the United States, is in phase III trials at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. The drug is being investigated for its potential role in
preventing the progression from an early, non-proliferative stage of the disease to a more advanced stage, called
proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Currently, there are no drugs on the market to treat the early stage of diabetic retinopathy. The treatments for advanced diabetic retinopathy are laser surgery and vitrectomy surgery, both of which can halt, but not cure, the disease.
Diabetic retinopathy, which affects approximately one-half of all patients with diabetes, damages tiny blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This damage leads to blurred vision and, if unchecked, blindness.
Researchers have found that an enzyme called protein kinase C, which is more active in patients with diabetes, contributes to the damage of the blood vessels in the retina. "We will test the effectiveness of the drug in blocking the activity of the enzyme, and potentially preventing progression to advanced diabetic retinopathy," said Ronald Gentile, M.D., an ophthalmologist and principal investigator of this study. "Patients with
non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy are participating."
Interested parties can learn more by calling the Ophthalmology Research Department at (212) 979-4120.
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