Articles

Microplasmin, the drug aimed at patients with focal vitreomacular adhesion, is to be trialled at Southampton General Hospital. Injected directly into the eye earlier clinical studies have indicated that it has potential to be effective without the risks associated with surgery.

Ocular Therapeutics has signed non-disclosure agreements with two of the largest pharmaceutical firms in the world. The unnamed companies are interested in a new treatment approach in the largest of the ophthalmic markets.

Foresight Biotherapeutics, Inc. has announced data from a pre-clinical study designed to assess the safety and efficacy of the topical administration of FST-100 in a highly regarded Ad5 NZW rabbit model of adenoviral conjunctivitis.

CSO, which has a background in measuring and analysing the anterior corneal surface has extended its research to the posterior surface with its new device SIRIUS.

Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc., (Stemedica),a manufacturer and developer of clinical grade allogeneic adult stem cell technology, has discovered a significant breakthrough in the use of human stem cells and stem cell factors for the potential treatment of degenerations of the retina and retinal pigmented epithelium.

An inspection conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration determined that a subsidiary of Abbott Park, Ill.-based Abbott Laboratories Inc. failed to disclose multiple reports of a serious parasitic eye infection for more than a year.

Implementation of novel techniques to analyze the fluidic signature of phacoemulsification performed using different ultrasound modalities and phaco tips is providing important insights that will be helpful for improving the efficiency and safety of lens removal surgery.

A study reported in the July issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology correlates the incidence of silent cerebral infarcts (SCI) and visual field loss in patients with normal-tension glaucoma.

A further study in the July issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, investigated inflammation biomarkers in relation to corneal transplant rejection in herpes simplex patients. Its results have shown that inflammation thwarts corneal transplants.

High molecular weight increases blink rate and helps eye drops retain moisture on the ocular surface according to Professor Giancarlo Montani an optometrist FIACLE and a professor of optometry at the Universita del Salento in Italy.

New fluidics concept

Oertli has developed a new phaco tip, easyTip2.2mm, based on the design of the CO-MICS 2. It uses a new fluidics concept with a high vacuum setting and a wide infusion path, creating a strong axially directed flow.

Nerve damage associated ocular dryness improved dramatically with hyaluronic acid-based lubricating eye drops explains Claes Feinbaum M.Sc. Professor Emeritus Optometry, Vision4You, Lund, Sweden.

Gene therapies

Ocular applications of gene therapies are increasing, as is our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of glaucoma.

A biological marker for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been discovered by a team of researchers from the University of Kentucky.

Dr Jayakrishna Ambati, professor and vice chairman of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Kentucky, has been chosen to receive the 2010 Cogan Award from The Association for Research in Vision and Opthalmology (ARVO).

The twelve-month primary analysis results from the Novartis sponsored Phase II MONT BLANC study investigating the efficacy and safety of combining Visudyne (Novartis Pharma AG) and Lucentis (Novartis Pharma AG, Genentech Inc.) have been released and so far are showing no significant differences.

Producing 3D human corneal tissue using corneal limbal stem cells with a view to developing and commercialising novel technology has potential to transform drug discovery and regenerative medicine.