NT-501, the lead product candidate of Neurotech Pharmaceutisals, inc., have successfully slowed down the loss of vision in a Phase 2 clinical trial, in patients suffering from macular degeneration along with geographic atrophy(GA). GA is a condition that destroys sharp central vision and causes serious vision loss to one or both eyes.
Age-related macular degeneration is a chronic progressive disease of the macula that results in the loss of central vision. It is the leading cause of blindness in elderly people in the developed world. There are two forms of AMD–dry and wet. Dry AMD is the most common form of AMD representing approximately 90% of all AMD cases.
In its advanced stages dry AMD can lead to the degeneration of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial cells, a chronic condition called geographic atrophy. There are currently no approved GA therapies for the nearly 1 million individuals affected in the United States.
In the study, the high dose of NT-501 stabilized best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).
NT-501 is an intraocular implant that consists of human cells that have been genetically modified to secrete ciliary neurotrophic factor CNTF is delivered directly to the back of the eye in a controlled, continuous basis by means of the Company's proprietary Encapsulated Cell Technology platform, thereby bypassing the blood-retinal barrier and overcoming a major obstacle in the treatment of retinal disease.
Data from the Phase 2 dry AMD/GA trial will be presented at following places:
- The Retinal Physician Symposium on March 27, 2009 in the Bahamas,
- IBC's 5th International Ocular Angiogenesis & Retinal Degeneration conference on March 31, 2009 in Las Vegas,
- The Advanced Vitreoretinal Techniques and Technologies meeting on April 24, 2009 in Las Vegas. and
- The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO: undefined, undefined, undefined%) meeting on May 6, 2009 in Ft. Lauderdale.
Source: Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Company Contact:
Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Rich Small, 401-495-2403
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
r.small@neurotechusa.com
Filed under Macular Degeneration | Tags: Age Related Macular Degeneration, AMD, degeneration of photoreceptors, eye, geographic atrophy (GA), intraocular implant, NT-501, retinal pigment epithelial cells | 1 Comment
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June 21st, 2009 at 12:00 am
anthing new on market - or soon to be - that will help in the treatment
to slow the progression of dry macular degenration?