Retina

USC is leading a research team aiming to better understand retinitis pigmentosa and inform future treatments.

According to presentations at FLORetina ICOOR 2024 in Florence, Italy, data show promising early improvements in low luminance visual acuity, a key measure of visual function. A pivotal Phase 2/3 VISTA trial for laru-zova in XLRP is currently enrolling.

Researchers described the presence of multiple bilateral serous retinal detachments (SRDs) found in 3 women after they used hair dyes.

Ahead of this year's Floretina meeting and International Congress on OCT Angiography, En Face OCT and Advances in OCT (ICOOR), David Hutton of Ophthalmology Times spoke with Charles Wykoff, MD, PhD. At FLORetina ICOOR, he presented on a number of topics, including diabetic retinopathy—the subject of his conversation with the Eye Care Network.

The authors searched PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, and ClinicalTrials.gov, and selected studies based on reports with an association between RVO and heart attack risk.

Nerve cells in the retina were analyzed at the Vienna University of Technology using microelectrodes. According to researchers, the nerve cells demonstrated surprisingly stable behavior, which is good news for retina implants.

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals has dosed the first patient in the LUCIA Phase 3 trial of Duravyu for wet AMD. The study evaluates Duravyu’s efficacy, durability, and re-dosing every 6 months in both treatment-naïve and previously treated patients. Topline data is anticipated in 2026.

Prevent Blindness announces its fourth annual Geographic Atrophy Awareness Week, December 2 to 8, 2024. The organization offers free educational resources, including videos and guides, and supports GA patients through programs like Living Well With Low Vision.

Preclinical research highlights mRNA-based therapy's potential to inhibit scar tissue and abnormal blood vessel growth in proliferative vitreoretinopathy, addressing a critical unmet need in treatment.

While studies of obesity and tobacco and alcohol consumption showed that many chronic diseases are affected by the factors being studied, none had mentioned an effect on glaucoma progression.

Early results suggest participant diversity and novel measures will enable new, artificial intelligence-driven insights. As the study evolves, it could lead to significant advancements in understanding how environmental exposures contribute not only to diabetes but also to its complications, including those affecting eye health, such as diabetic retinopathy.

A study by a team of Chinese researchers highlights the potential of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in detecting retinal microvascular damage in renal hypertension patients. OCTA identifies reduced vascular density in key retinal regions, offering a noninvasive tool for early diagnosis and systemic disease management.

Avant Technologies and Ainnova Tech have partnered to develop a low-cost retinal camera integrated with Ainnova’s Vision AI platform for early detection of ocular and systemic diseases. The technology will be marketed as a SaaS platform for primary care settings.

After closing, the combined company is expected to operate under the name Kalaris Therapeutics, Inc.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has funded Keck School of Medicine of USC translational research advancing a therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in older adults.

Key findings include reduced lesion growth, retinal tissue preservation, and improved visual function, demonstrating significant potential for the treatment option.

Program director and co-founder Bonnie An Henderson, MD, sits down with Ophthalmology Times to talk about how the annual conference is a unique blend of cutting-edge science, professional growth, and community. The 2025 conference will take place February 14 to 17 at the Caribe Hilton San Juan, in Puerto Rico.

A recent cohort study revealed low adoption of FDA-approved AI-based diabetic retinopathy detection, with less than 5% of diabetic patients receiving ophthalmic imaging. Researchers emphasize the need for improved awareness, cost-effectiveness, and integration to increase diabetic retinopathy screening rates.

The Healthcare Private Equity team has advised Retina Consultants of America (RCA) and Webster Equity Partners in the sale of RCA to Cencora.

A Johns Hopkins study reveals that anti-VEGF treatments for wet AMD may unintentionally elevate ANGPTL4, a protein that promotes blood vessel growth. Combining anti-VEGF with an experimental drug targeting HIF-1 could enhance vision outcomes and prevent vision loss.

FELIQS plans to conduct a Phase 1b/2 study of FLQ-101 (tROPhy-1 study) both in the US and Japan in the first quarter of 2025.

In an interview with David Hutton of Ophthalmology Times, Ash Abbey, MD, discusses the Phase 3 LUGANO trial for EYP-1901 in treating wet age-related macular degeneration. Abbey discusses the trial’s non-inferiority objectives, treatment schedule, patient outcomes like reduced treatment burden, and anatomical stability. Patient interest is high, particularly among those wanting fewer injections, though recruiting treatment-naive patients may be challenging. If results are favorable, potential FDA approval could occur within 3 to 4 years.

To educate the public—including parents, caregivers, and allied health professionals—Prevent Blindness is offering free educational resources, including fact sheets, social media graphics, web pages, and educational videos in both English and Spanish.

Observations show distinct variations between the changes in optic nerve head (ONH) and the macula.

200 mg of caffeine elevated the blood pressure after 2 hours but did not impact the retinal VD.

AMN, a rare disease, is characterized by dark reddish, wedge-shaped macular lesions

Researchers receive $6.4 million grant from NEI to seek new treatment for blindness-causing diseases.

According to the company, Duravyu 2.7 mg demonstrated an early and sustained anatomical improvement mirroring BCVA results with a 68 micron reduction in CST. Full topline data is anticipated in Q1 of 2025.

Ophthalmologists discuss advancing treatment strategies to improve outcomes.