Retina

Click here to read Genentech's open letter to ophthalmologists, outlining its reason for imposing restrictions on the use of Avastin.

OPKO Health has completed its acquisition of Ophthalmic Technologies Inc. (OTI), a privately owned Canadian company.

OccuLogix has announced that it is indefinitely suspending its RHEO System clinical development programme in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The FDA has approved Triesence, Alcon's preservative-free synthetic coricosteroid for visualization during vitrectomy.

Fovea Pharmaceuticals has entered into a collaborative research agreement with Genzyme Corporation.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) seems to be responsible for apoptosis of the photoreceptors in certain visual disorders.

Have a look at the AMD therapies taking the first step along the path to approval.

What therapies have made it to Phase II clinical trials?

Take a look at the therapies that have reached Phase III clinical testing.

Take a look at the therapies that have already reached the market.

What are doctors using off-label to treat their AMD patients?

Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) performs better than verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the management of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration.

Ophtherion has licensed the worldwide rights to develop diagnostic products for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) associated with specific variations in genes on Chromosome 10, from the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

Triple therapy consisting of vitrectomy, intravitreal triamcinolone and macular laser photocoagulation may facilitate early recovery of vision in patients with intractable diabetic macular oedema.

A study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that retinal changes have possible prognostic implications regarding the survival of persons with diabetes.

Patients undergoing 25-gauge vitreoretinal surgery are more likely to experience postoperative serous choroidal effusion and hypotony than patients undergoing 20-gauge procedures.

Genentech is delaying its plan to restrict the use of Avastin by ophthalmologists in the US until January 2008.

A telemedicine system using nurse-captured retinal images could potentially improve retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) management.

Results of a clinical trial investigating Ellex's non-thermal Retina Regeneration Therapy (2RT), demonstrates the therapy's potential to improve and stabilize visual acuity (VA) and reduce retinal oedema in patients with diabetic maculopathy and macular oedema without causing damage to photoreceptors.

Results published online by The Lancet, from the Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) study have revealed that fenofibrate is the first lipid modifying agent found to reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy.

Neurotech Pharmaceuticals has completed enrolment for three ongoing clinical studies evaluating NT-501 as a treatment for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Smokers with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) should not be taking the age-related eye disease study (AREDS) formulation of vitamins and antioxidants, as it puts them at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, according to a presentation given at the Retina Subspecialty Day of this year's AAO congress in New Orleans, US.

Transvitreal optic neurotomy (TON) improves the visual acuity and visual fields in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) of recent onset.

Concomitant delivery of focal radiotherapy and bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) showed promise in a small multicenter feasibility study of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

The use of medical adjuvant therapy for macular holes during vitreous surgery seems to be decreasing in macular hole surgery, said Alain Gaudric, MD, of Lariboisière Hospital, Paris.