Dry-eye treatment shows promising Phase II results

SARcode's lead investigational molecule, SAR 1118, demonstrated promising results in a Phase II study of dry eye disease, according to data presented at this year's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting.

The small molecule integrin antagonist inhibits T-cell medicated inflammation and can also be used to treat diabetic macular oedema.

Dr Charles Semba et al., SARcode Corporation, Brisbane, California, USA, conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, multi centre study on 230 patients with dry eye disease. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was used to evaluate visual-related function. SAR 1118, the potent novel small molecule lymphocyte function-associated antigen, was topically administered to all patients.

It was concluded that SAR 1118 was safe and well tolerated amongst dry eye patients. There were no serious ocular effects recorded, most of them being transient and not related to the administration of SAR 1118. Corneal staining was reduced over 12 weeks, tear production increased after 2 weeks and visual-related functions vastly improved.