New Gene Therapy for Wet AMD
December 2010 - A clinical trial of a gene therapy for wet AMD is schedule to begin this month in Baltimore Maryland. Investigators at John Hopkins University will begin an early safety trial (Phase I/II) of RetinoStat, a new kind of AMD treatment. RetinoStat was developed by Oxford Biomedica in the United Kingdom.
Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels develop under the macula, leaking fluid and often causing a rapid loss of vision. This new treatment introduces genes into the cells of the eye that block the formation of new blood vessels. It relies on a custom-designed virus to insert the genes into the cells of the eye.
Treatments for wet AMD have been developed over the past few years, which are effective for many people. However, the current medications require monthly injections into the eye. Preclinical studies of RetinoStat suggest that only a single injection of this new treatment may be required.
This announcement is also exciting because it is the first of several products being developed by Biomedica to reach clinical trials. The company is also developing gene therapies for Stargardt macular degeneration and Usher syndrome 1B. Both therapies will use the same custom-designed virus to deliver the treatment. The company anticipates that trials of both of these products may begin in the next year.
Update Feb 2011: This study is now enrolling participants at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. More details about enrolling in this study.