Macular Degeneration Clinical Trials 2023

What Are Macular Degeneration Clinical Trials?

Macular degeneration is an age-related degenerative disease of the structure of the retina responsible for sharp vision, known as the macula. Macular degeneration leads to progressive vision loss in the elderly. Though the patients do not develop complete blindness, their central vision can become severely impaired.

This eye disorder has two kinds: atrophic and neovascular macular degeneration. In patients with atrophic macular degeneration, the retina progressively thins with age. In neovascular macular degeneration, blood vessels damage the retina by growing into the back of the eye.

Clinical trials aim to find an effective treatment to limit the progression of macular degeneration and preserve vision. In 2017, Jansen Research & Development, LLC began trials for an injectable ocular gene therapy that promotes the protective effects of retinal cells.

Why Is Macular Degeneration Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?

Macular degeneration is the primary cause of blindness in elderly patients. However, age is not the only risk factor for the development of macular degeneration. Heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and genetics are factors responsible for increasing the likelihood of developing this eye disorder.

Currently, limited effective curative treatments are available for neovascular macular degeneration. Symptomatic therapy for atrophic macular degeneration aims to slow the disorder's progression. Therefore, further research is required to improve clinical outcomes for macular degeneration patients.

What Are The Types of Treatments Available For Macular Degeneration?

Studies have found that vitamin supplementation in atrophic macular degeneration patients slowed the progression of their vision impairment. Supplement therapy includes a combination of vitamins C and E, lutein, zinc, copper, and zeaxanthin. Patients are encouraged to follow a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and fish to support eye health further.

The primary treatment for neovascular macular degeneration includes an intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor. These agents decrease the growth rate of blood vessels in the retina, improving the patient's vision.

Alternatively, laser treatment targets the growth of abnormal retinal blood vessels. This therapy slows the progression of blood vessel growth, thereby improving vision through a similar mechanism as the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor.

What Are Some Recent Breakthrough Clinical Trials For Macular Degeneration?

There have been several significant macular degeneration therapy breakthroughs, such as the following:

2017: ocular lens replacement for macular degeneration: researchers have found that new lens insertion assists in magnifying the affected eye's field of vision. This treatment allows patients to utilize the healthy parts of their retina, thereby restoring their sight.

2017: stem cell treatment for macular degeneration: scientists discovered that collecting stem cells from patients to line the structural components of the eye assisted in reducing the progression of macular degeneration.

Who Are Some Of The Key Researchers Conducting Macular Degeneration Clinical Trial Research?

Professor Robyn Guymer AM, the Head of Macular Degeneration Research at The Center For Eye Research Australia, is a world-leading expert in this disorder. Professor Guymer's work assisted in understanding the risk factors for macular degeneration and how to predict treatment responses.

Professor Joseph Powell, a leading researcher at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, played a pivotal role in creating models of macular degeneration using stem cells to decipher which genes are responsible for the occurrence of the disease.