Protease inhibitor treats DR

Article

ASP-440 - a protease, developed by ActiveSite Pharmaceuticals and an inhibitor of plase kallikrein - may provide an effective therapeutic treatment for diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to study results published in the February 2009 issue of Hypertension.

ASP-440 - a protease, developed by ActiveSite Pharmaceuticals and an inhibitor of plase kallikrein - may provide an effective therapeutic treatment for diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to study results published in the February 2009 issue of Hypertension.

Edward P. Feener, PhD of Harvard Medical School and the Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, US and colleagues tested ASP-440 through continuous systemic administration to rodents whose vasculature had been compromised by hypertension.

In the animal model, ASP-440 reduced the permeability of the retinal vasculature by up to 70%, and also reduced elevated blood pressure.

The team concluded that, by reducing retinal permeability through inhibition of kallikrein, ASP-440 may be able to reduce the incidence of diabetic macular oedema and diabetic retinopathy.

Newsletter

Get the essential updates shaping the future of pharma manufacturing and compliance—subscribe today to Pharmaceutical Technology and never miss a breakthrough.

Recent Videos
Jay Chhablani, MD, shares late-breaking data from the ArMaDa trial, investigating gene therapy for Geographic Atrophy and dry age-related macular degeneration, at EURETINA
Editorial advisory board member Alexandra Miere, MD, PhD, speaks about the ACTOR and HERMES studies at the 2025 European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) Congress
María Berrocal, MD, speaks about the Vit-Buckle Society symposium hosted at the 2025 European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) annual meeting
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.