Amarantus Applies for Orphan Drug Designation for MANF in treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa

Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and ophthalmological disorders, announced that it has applied to the Food & Drug Administration in the US for Orphan Drug Designation for MANF (mesencephalic-astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor) in retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

Retinal Pigment Epithelial cells derived from stem cells show positive long term results

Since they were first derived more than three decades ago, embryonic stem cells have been proposed as a source of replacement cells in regenerative medicine, but their plasticity and unlimited capacity for self-renewal raises concerns about their safety, including tumour formation ability, potential immune rejection, and the risk of differentiating into unwanted cell types. We report the medium-term to long-term safety of cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) transplanted into patients.

Harvard and Astellas Pharma collboarate on gene therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa

Astellas Pharma Inc. has announced a research collaboration with Constance L Cepko, Ph.D., an investigator at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, focused on discovering the pathologic mechanism for retinitis pigmentosa and identification of  new therapeutic targets. Astellas and Harvard will work with the aim to provide a new treatment option with a view of a gene therapy, to retinitis pigmentosa patients who have difficulty maintaining good vision.  

Research could revolutionise treatment for eye conditions such as AMD

Patients with eye diseases have new hope after researchers at the University of Reading discovered a potential way of making eye drops more effective.

Typically, less than 5% of the medicine dose applied as drops actually penetrates the eye - the majority of the dose will be washed off the cornea by tear fluid and lost.

EYLEA gets FDA approval for wet AMD, Diabetic macular edema and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved EYLEA (aflibercept) Injection for the treatment of Macular Edema following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO), which includes Macular Edema following Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO) in addition to the previously-approved indication of Macular Edema following Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO). 

Native American Ancestry Associated With Severe Diabetic Retinopathy in Latinos

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness in working age adults. Studies have observed that Latinos have a higher prevalence of DR than whites. 

FDA approves Ozurdex for diabetic macular edema

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Allergan's Ozurdex (dexamethasone 0.7 mg, a sustained-release biodegradable intravitreal implant), for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). 

Is there any association between blood cadmium level and AMD?

Can we deduce the risk of developing AMD from the levels of Cadmium in the blood or urine? Is there any data that will help us understand this risk, if any?