Gene therapy is a new treatment for macular degeneration that is being researched by Oxford BioMedica at several study sites.
Oxford BioMedica, founded in 1995 by Professors Alan and Sue Kingsman from the University of Oxford's Department of Biochemistry, focuses it's research on gene based therapy for diseases that currently have no known or inadequate treatment such as macular degeneration.
Macular degeneration research is now exploring the use of genetic therapy as a possible wet macular degeneration treatment. RetinoStat is a form of gene therapy that targets the production of vascular endothelial grown factor (VEGF). VEGF is the protein that stimulates the growth of the fragile capillaries under the macula that leads to vision distortion and loss of central vision.
RetinoStat delivers two anti-angiogenic genes, endo statin and angiostatin.
The company has developed a method of delivering the gene through what is called a lentivirus. The OxfordBioMedica website explains: "The technology can stably deliver genes in to cells with up to 100% efficiency and can integrate genes in to non-dividing cells including neurons in the brain and retinal cells in the eye."
As with any Phase I clinical trial a small number of participants have been recruited and this study is no different. The study will be enrolling 21 participants. According to Oxford BioMedica's most current press release of April 7, 2014 enrollment has been completed.
Three different groups of participants will receive a different dose level with the third group receiving the highest dose.
"There are two parts to the study. A dose-escalation phase looking at three doses of RetinoStat starting with the lowest dose, three patients will be recruited at each dose level. The escalation phase will be followed by a dose confirmation phase where the highest dose that is safe and well tolerated will be examined in 9 patients."
Participants must be 50 years old or older and with a diagnoses of wet macular degeneration that shows leaking blood vessels.
The participant cannot have received any steroid treatment within 3 months the screening for this study or have any anti-VEGF injection such as Lucentis or Avastin within one month of being screened.
Contact: Andreas K Lauer, MD Principal Investigator: Andreas K Lauer, MD The study is led by Professor Peter Campochiaro at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore (USA) and Oxford BioMedica.
Any new macular degeneration treatment starts with a Phase I clinical trial - and that is what this study is.
√ Identify any side effects.
Because this is a Phase I study the primary outcome or purpose of this phase is to "examine the safety of an experimental gene transfer agent, RetinoStat, designed to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration."
RetinoStat will be given through a single subretinal injection which if proven to be effective will provide susbstantial benefit to patients who currently receive regular, monthly injections into the eye.
"We are delighted to announce the completion of recruitment into the Phase I RetinoStat® study. This trial was the first to directly administer a lentiviral vector-based treatment in the eye and could pave the way to bringing life-changing eye treatments to patients."