Age Related Macular Degeneration News and Research

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USC researchers receive grant to develop stem cell-based treatment for age-related macular degeneration

Physician-researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) received a nearly $16 million grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to fund the development of a stem cell-based treatment for age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness among the elderly.

29 Oct 2009

Veterans with TBI vision loss have poor quality of life compared to civilian patients

Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) Joint Meeting, includes a Veterans Administration study that indicates that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with vision loss from traumatic brain injury have significantly poorer quality of life than comparable civilian patients, and a Harvard doctor's insights on how to best evaluate and care for low-vision patients who experience vivid visual hallucinations due to Charles Bonnet syndrome.

28 Oct 2009

Quark Pharmaceuticals receives a Japanese patent for its hypoxia regulated genes

Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a development-stage pharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics, today announced issuance of Japanese Patent Number: 4354633, titled, "Hypoxia regulated genes," on August 7, 2009.

27 Oct 2009

Some patients with AMD develop elevated pressure within the eye following anti-VEGF medications: Study

A first-time finding of intraocular pressure increases in patients with no personal or family history of glaucoma following anti-VEGF treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and a report on a simple, low-cost method that could revolutionize vision screening and treatment in developing countries, are highlights of today's Scientific Program of the 2009 Joint Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO).

27 Oct 2009

Implantation of blue light-filtering intraocular lens increases nutritional component of the eye

Results of an important new study show that implantation of blue light-filtering intraocular lens (IOLs) at the time of cataract surgery increases a nutritional component of the eye, which may afford protection against the development and/or progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

27 Oct 2009

Gene therapy may help improve congenital blindness in children

Born with a retinal disease that made him legally blind, and would eventually leave him totally sightless, the nine-year-old boy used to sit in the back of the classroom, relying on the large print on an electronic screen and assisted by teacher aides. Now, after a single injection of genes that produce light-sensitive pigments in the back of his eye, he sits in front with classmates and participates in class without extra help. In the playground, he joins his classmates in playing his first game of softball.

26 Oct 2009

Potentia Pharmaceuticals and Alcon Research sign license and purchase option agreements

Potentia Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biotechnology company developing medicines for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), announced today that it has entered into licensing and purchase option agreements with Alcon Research, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alcon, Inc.

24 Oct 2009

VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies to present on its implantable telescope technology

VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc., a developer of advanced visual prosthetic devices for individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), today announced upcoming scientific and corporate presentations on its implantable telescope technology.

21 Oct 2009

Auxano point-of-care indicator system for dry eye syndrome

Auxano Diagnostics, LLC, a subsidiary of Auxano Biomedical, LLC, has announced the application of the company’s breakthrough wound care technology to the treatment of dry eye syndrome (DES) with the Auxano point-of-care indicator system.

21 Oct 2009

FDA grants Fast Track designation for MacuSight's Perceiva

MacuSight, a developer of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of severe ocular diseases and conditions, today announced that it has received Fast Track designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Perceiva, the company's proprietary ocular sirolimus product, for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).

21 Oct 2009

NIH grant for Lpath to advance clinical development of its antibody therapeutics

The National Cancer Institute's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program has awarded Lpath (OTCBB: LPTN), the category leader in lipidomics-based therapeutics, two Phase 1 grants totaling $0.3 million. This follows a series of other SBIR grants awarded to Lpath totaling $6.9 million, including a $3.0 million Phase 2 bridge grant from the NCI awarded this past June.

21 Oct 2009

Retinal prosthesis restores partial vision to people who are totally blind

Two experimental treatments, a retinal prosthesis and fetal tissue transplant, restored some vision to people with blinding eye diseases. The findings, presented at Neuroscience 2009, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news on brain science and health, may lead to new treatments for the blind. Researchers also reported that an engineered protein restored vision in an animal model and identified ways to improve stem cell treatments.

21 Oct 2009

Human neural stem cells protect cone photoreceptors: StemCells preclinical data

StemCells, Inc. announced today new preclinical data showing that its human neural stem cells protect cone photoreceptors (cones) in the eye from progressive degeneration and preserve visual function long term.

20 Oct 2009

QLT receives exclusive U.S. sales and marketing rights for Visudyne therapy

QLT Inc. ("QLT" or the "Company") today announced that it has restructured its agreement with Novartis Pharma AG ("Novartis") to simplify the relationship, under which, effective January 1, 2010, it will, among other things, receive exclusive U.S. rights to the Visudyne(R) patents to sell and market Visudyne in the U.S. Visudyne, a photosensitizer co-developed with Novartis, is approved worldwide for the treatment of a form of wet age-related macular degeneration ("AMD"), the leading cause of legal blindness in people over the age of 55 in North America and Europe.

19 Oct 2009

Vision scientists identify an intricate process that allows the human eye to adapt quickly to darkness

Ever wonder how your eyes adjust during a blackout? When we go from light to near total darkness, cells in the retina must quickly adjust. Vision scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified an intricate process that allows the human eye to adapt to darkness very quickly. The same process also allows the eye to function in bright light.

14 Oct 2009

Common myths about children's eye health and the medical reality behind them

Many parents grew up with medical adages or advice that have since been proven by scientists to be incorrect or outdated. Here are five common myths about children's eye health and the medical reality behind them, prepared by the physicians at The Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

12 Oct 2009

Controlled trial comparing Bevacizumab to Ranibizumab finds no difference in efficacy

Investigators from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and the VA Boston Healthcare System have shown, at 6 months in a small group of patients, that there is no difference in efficacy between Bevacizumab (Avastin) and Ranibizumab (Lucentis) for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

9 Oct 2009

Valensa initiates licensing patent for the use of the astaxanthin as a dietary supplement

Valensa International (Orlando, FL USA) announced today that it has initiated a broad out licensing effort for University of Illinois patent (US 5,527,533 and its foreign equivalents) for the use of the astaxanthin in eye healthcare dietary supplement applications.

8 Oct 2009

Macuclear and Mystic announce groundbreaking results from Phase Ib Clinical Trial for Macular Degeneration

MacuCLEAR, Inc. and Mystic Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today preliminary successful results of a Phase Ib Clinical Trial for the treatment and prevention of the progression of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The preliminary results indicated that MacuCLEAR’s MC-1101 drug is safe and well tolerated by study participants, and has a biological effect on blood flow in the back of the retina.

8 Oct 2009

Uncertainty regarding clinical effectiveness is a key issue in coverage decisions: Study

A comparison of national agencies that play a role in determining drug coverage decisions in Britain, Canada and Australia finds that uncertainty regarding clinical effectiveness is a key issue in coverage decisions, with other factors including the ability to negotiate price and societal values, according to a study in the October 7 issue of JAMA.

7 Oct 2009

Age Related Macular Degeneration News and Research

USC researchers receive grant to develop stem cell-based treatment for age-related macular degeneration

Veterans with TBI vision loss have poor quality of life compared to civilian patients

Quark Pharmaceuticals receives a Japanese patent for its hypoxia regulated genes

Some patients with AMD develop elevated pressure within the eye following anti-VEGF medications: Study

Implantation of blue light-filtering intraocular lens increases nutritional component of the eye

Gene therapy may help improve congenital blindness in children

Potentia Pharmaceuticals and Alcon Research sign license and purchase option agreements

VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies to present on its implantable telescope technology

Auxano point-of-care indicator system for dry eye syndrome

FDA grants Fast Track designation for MacuSight's Perceiva

NIH grant for Lpath to advance clinical development of its antibody therapeutics

Retinal prosthesis restores partial vision to people who are totally blind

Human neural stem cells protect cone photoreceptors: StemCells preclinical data

QLT receives exclusive U.S. sales and marketing rights for Visudyne therapy

Vision scientists identify an intricate process that allows the human eye to adapt quickly to darkness

Common myths about children's eye health and the medical reality behind them

Controlled trial comparing Bevacizumab to Ranibizumab finds no difference in efficacy

Valensa initiates licensing patent for the use of the astaxanthin as a dietary supplement

Macuclear and Mystic announce groundbreaking results from Phase Ib Clinical Trial for Macular Degeneration

Uncertainty regarding clinical effectiveness is a key issue in coverage decisions: Study

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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