Aug 29, 2023

Clinical Trial launched to test first of its kind drug for AMD and DME

Fighting Blindness Canada funded researcher Dr. Sachdev Sidhu (University of Waterloo) has developed a novel antibody therapy that will now be tested in a Phase 1/2 human clinical trial (Clinical Trial ID: NCT05919693).

How vision loss can occur in wet AMD and DME

An intact blood-retinal barrier is important for proper retinal function. This is disrupted in eye diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) where uncontrolled blood vessel growth disrupts the barrier, allowing fluid to leak into the eye. If untreated, this can lead to retinal damage and vision loss.

Dr. Sidhu’s Research

Currently, the main treatment for AMD and DME is a medication called anti-VEGF, which reduces blood vessel growth. However, anti-VEGF treatments do not fix damage to the blood-retinal barrier. Dr. Sidhu has developed a new antibody treatment (EYE103) which has the potential to restore the blood retinal barrier and help improve vision for those with AMD or DME.

The clinical trial will involve approximately 90 patients and will test if EYE103 is safe.

Learn more about this exciting advancement in this Global News story.

Fighting Blindness Canada awarded Dr. Sidhu a Research Grant in 2022 to support completion of pre-clinical experiments needed to bring this new therapy to a clinical trial.

Learn about additional Fighting Blindness Canada funded research.