Ohr Pharmaceutical (OTCBB: OHRP-News) today announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Squalamine Eye Drops for the treatment of the wet form of age-related macular degeneration ("wet-AMD"). The randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study will enroll patients at twenty one ophthalmology treatment centers across the United States. Interim results are expected in the fourth quarter of 2013.
"An eye drop to treat wet-AMD and ophthalmic neovascular disorders would be transformational for the large patient populations currently taking chronic treatments of Lucentis® or Eylea®, both of which are injected directly into the eye," stated Dr. Irach B. Taraporewala, CEO of Ohr. "In the past few months we have achieved several major milestone events including the completion of a financing at favorable terms as well as the U.S. FDA granting Fast Track designation to our Squalamine Eye Drop program. We are very pleased to announce the initiation of our Phase II trial today which we stated to investors would start by the end of the third quarter."
"I am very excited to be participating in the clinical study of this potentially groundbreaking product," commented Dr. Lawrence Singerman, of Retina Associates of Cleveland, and a member of Ohr's Scientific Advisory Board. "The addition of a self-administered eye drop to treat wet-AMD as an alternative or adjunctive therapy to our current treatment modalities would be a tremendous step forward for patients who suffer from this debilitating condition."