Researchers at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Lubeck, Germany, have developed an anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic peptide which ameliorates symptoms and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and could work to reduce the severity of other eye diseases presenting with similar symptoms.
BACKGROUND
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a commonly occurring disease in developed countries and is a major cause of legal blindness among older individuals. As the mean population age in industrialized nations is projected to increase over the next, it is similarly projected to increase the need for effective treatments of AMD and other associated ocular diseases. AMD progression is attributed to “soft drusen,” which are focal deposits of extracellular material/lipids that form over time between the basal lamina of the retina. Extensive research using in vitro and in vivo models has shown that targeting soft drusen, the largest intraocular risk factor for AMD progression, and its precursors can ameliorate disease progression. However, current methods are not therapeutically effective or well-tolerated, ultimately attributing the current need for improved treatments.
INNOVATION
In combination with external collaborators, UCLA researchers have identified a promising mimetic peptide that has been shown to reduce the severity of AMD and lipid deposit-related ocular degeneration in an in vivo animal model. This potential treatment delivered through intravitreal injections in proof-of-concept studies showed decreased severity of long-term accumulated damage even through comparative assessment with histological analysis. Importantly, this mimetic peptide has an extensive clinical history with high tolerability and few long-term or adverse side effects even when utilized at a high dosage.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS:
• Treatment of AMD at early and late stages.
• Reduction of symptoms attributed to drusen.
• Treating lipid deposition in retinal cells.
ADVANTAGES:
• Efficacy in a space with few treatment options.
• Neutralizes markers resulting from years of accumulated degeneration.
• Extensive clinical history.
• Well tolerated at high doses / few adverse side-effects
• Intravitreal injections allow specificity of dose control and timing of treatment.
DEVELOPMENT-TO-DATE: A proof of concept study has been performed using this mimetic peptide in escalating doses in an AMD model utilizing aged animals. Results depict a statistically significant decrease in markers of disease severity in comparison to controls.