Glaucoma, Neovascular

Researchers have developed a light-activatable prodrug nanomedicine for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) therapy. Through the intravenous injection of the nanomedicine and application of light irradiation to diseased eyes, anti-angiogenic and photodynamic combination therapy can be activated, offering a minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of AMD and other ocular disorders characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth. Researchers at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), and collaborators from the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, have developed a light-activatable prodrug nanomedicine for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) therapy. Through the intravenous injection of the nanomedicine and application of light irradiation to diseased eyes, anti-angiogenic and photodynamic combination therapy can be activated, offering a minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of AMD and other ocular disorders characterised by abnormal blood vessel growth. The research has been published in Advanced Science and a Patent Cooperation Treaty application was filed based on the research. According to the Hong Kong Eye Survey data published in 2019, the prevalence of early AMD among individuals aged 70 and older has reached 7.5% in Hong Kong1, making AMD the second most common cause of visual impairment and blindness in the adult population of Hong Kong. Currently, intravitreal injections of antibodies against vascular endothelial growth factor are the first-line treatment for wet AMD. However, this invasive procedure is uncomfortable for patients, and carries the risk of serious ocular complications, such as endophthalmitis and retinal detachment. Therefore, there is an urgent need for novel formulations that enable the delivery of anti-angiogenic agents into the eye without an intravitreal injection, such as intravenous injection. Additionally, anti-angiogenic agents have limited efficacy in regressing existing neovascularisation. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a clinical solution by utilising non-toxic photosensitisers activated by specific wavelengths of light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage and obliterate neovascularisation. PDT is widely used for the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, a common subtype of wet AMD in Asia. Therefore, combining anti-angiogenesis therapy with PDT may offer a more effective approach to treating wet AMD, thus helping slow down the progression of the disease and improve the vision outcome for patients. Research methods and findings The research team designed a novel photoactivatable prodrug nanosystem. After a single intravenous injection of the nanoparticles into a choroidal neovascularisation mouse model, red-light irradiation of the mouse's eye activated the nanoparticles to generate ROS, which not only causes the regression of abnormal neovascularisation, but also triggers the release of anti-angiogenic drugs from the nanoparticles to inhibit the growth of new blood vessels. This combinational therapy demonstrated excellent therapeutic efficacy without any noticeable systemic or ocular side effects. Research significance The study represents the first attempt at integrating a photoactivatable anti-angiogenic agent with a photosensitiser into a single nanoformulation for AMD treatment. The treatment procedure is simple and safe, as the therapeutic effect of the anti-angiogenic agent and photosensitiser in ocular lesions can be achieved through the intravenous administration of nanoparticles and light irradiation to the eye. This pioneering research may open up new avenues for the development of minimally-invasive therapeutics for AMD and other neovascular ocular disorders. The formulation uses US FDA-approved therapeutic agents and excipients, making it promising for future clinical translation. The study was led by Dr Wang Weiping, Associate Professor of Dr Li Dak-Sum Research Centre and Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKUMed, and Principal Investigator of the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, HKU. The other corresponding author was Professor Liang Xiaoling, Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen University, and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre, Sun Yat-sen University; the co-first authors were Xu Shuting, PhD candidate, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKUMed, and Dr Cui Kaixuan, Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University. Other researchers included Long Kaiqi, PhD candidate, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKUMed; Dr Li Jia and Dr Fan Ni, Postdoctoral fellows, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy; and Professor Lam Wai-ching, Head and Clinical Professor of the Department of Ophthalmology, Vancouver General Hospital and University of British Columbia, Canada, and Honorary Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, School of Clinical Medicine, HKUMed. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Excellent Young Scientists Fund (No. 82222903) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82271099).

TYLER, Texas , June 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bethesda Health Clinic, a nonprofit organization that provides healthcare services to the uninsured and underinsured residents of the Tyler East Texas community, successfully implemented AEYE-DS, an autonomous diabetic retinopathy screening solution developed by AEYE Health, to provide free diabetic retinopathy screenings to its patients. AEYE-DS uses FDA-cleared AI technology to provide instant diagnostic results instead of referring patients to a specialist. The screening procedure takes less than two minutes to perform and rarely requires dilation. Local retinal specialist Dr. Ming Lu and the Bethesda Health Clinic initiated this program to evaluate both the logistical implications and health benefits that AI-based diabetic eye exams can have on this specific patient population. A total of 126 patients were screened over the course of the three-week program, with 19 (15%) found positive for referable diabetic retinopathy. Retinal images were obtained using the Topcon NW400, a non-mydriatic, fully automated retinal camera. Images were uploaded to AEYE-DS and a diagnostic result was provided on the spot. A PDF report with the result was printed out and provided to patients along with recommendations for a follow-up screening in 12 months or a referral to an eye specialist for further treatment. The screening procedure does not require a doctor to perform or interpret. Following basic training, clinic staff were able to operate the retinal camera and upload images to the AI system for analysis. Some patients were scheduled for screening due to open care gaps, while others underwent screening while awaiting their doctor's appointment. "I am excited by the idea that AI can make healthcare more accessible to underserved communities. As a retina specialist, I am a big advocate of AI technology taking over the task of screening patients. This will allow me to spend more time with patients that actually need my expertise in treating their disease, rather than screening many patients, most of which do not need treatment," said Dr. Ming Lu, the chief of ophthalmology at Christus Trinity Clinic Eye Center in Tyler who sponsored the pilot project at The Bethesda Health Clinic. "I was amazed to see that most patients could get a reading in 1 to 2 minutes. The outcomes of this pilot are fantastic and I hope to leverage them to secure funding to permanently deploy the technology at The Bethesda Health Clinic and also at Christus Health." "We are very pleased to see another successful implementation of our unique solution, and that our efforts to develop a practical solution that can perform screenings quickly and accurately are paying off." said Zack Dvey-Aharon, Ph.D., Founder & CEO of AEYE Health. About The Bethesda Health Clinic The Bethesda Health Clinic is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing healthcare services to the uninsured and underinsured in the Tyler community. The clinic offers a range of healthcare services, including primary care, chronic disease management, preventive care, mental health services, women's health, and limited dental services. The clinic relies heavily on the support of volunteer healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and other medical staff, who generously donate their time and expertise to serve patients. The Bethesda Health Clinic is supported by community donations, grants, and partnerships with local healthcare providers and organizations to help fulfill their mission. About AEYE Health AEYE Health is a technology company specializing in the development of AI solutions for diagnosing a broad range of diseases using retinal images. Its screening solution for diabetic retinopathy is FDA-cleared in 2022 and designed to allow primary care providers to perform diabetic eye exams in their clinics instead of referring to specialists. About Dr. Ming Lu Dr. Lu is a magna cum laude graduate from Harvard Medical School, a retina specialist and chief of ophthalmology at Christus Trinity Clinic Eye Center in Tyler, Texas. He sponsored the free screening for diabetic retinopathy at the Bethesda Clinic. In 1994 Dr. Lu proposed the VEGF hypothesis for diabetic retinopathy after learning the concept of tumor angiogenesis as a medical student, in hope for a restorative treatment of the bleeding retina rather than the conventional destructive laser therapy. After sleeping with experimental animals for 5 years, Dr. Lu won the Nesmith Award from Schepens International Society in 1999 for his discovery of the central role of VEGF in diabetic retinopathy, providing the scientific basis for anti-VEGF therapy. Since 2004 anti-VEGFs such as Avastin, Lucentis, Eylea, and Vabysmo have become the mainstay treatment for retinopathy due to diabetes, macular degeneration, vascular occlusions, neovascular glaucoma and prematurity, much more effective than the traditional laser burns. Since 2010 he has championed the free digital screening and AI-based screening of diabetic retinopathy at all 89 Christus Trinity Clinic satellites (47,380 diabetic patients), improving the screening rate from 27% in remote East Texas 13 years ago to 61% now. CONTACT: Amit Wohl [email protected] SOURCE AEYE Health

Retrospective Clinical Data from Seven US Sites Published in Clinical Ophthalmology Sustained and clinically meaningful IOP reductions observed at 12 months persisted through 24 months Sustained and clinically meaningful reductions in glaucoma medication use observed at 12 months also persisted through 24 months Confirmed safety and efficacy of OMNI Surgical System technology in both standalone and combination cataract procedures Longest published multicenter clinical results of OMNI Surgical System to date MENLO PARK, Calif., May 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sight Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGHT), an eyecare technology company focused on creating innovative solutions intended to transform care and improve patients' lives, today announced the publication of two-year results of the ROMEO (Retrospective, Observational, Multicenter, Evaluation of OMNI) study in Clinical Ophthalmology. The longest multicenter study of the OMNI® Surgical System technology to date in both standalone and combination-cataract surgery demonstrated that the significant reductions in IOP and medication usage observed at 12 months were also witnessed at 24 months. In addition, there were no serious or unanticipated adverse events during the length of the two-year study. "This longer-term data set representing patients treated at multiple centers throughout the country both at the time of cataract surgery and as a standalone treatment should give eye surgeons even greater confidence about the safety and durability of efficacy of the OMNI Surgical System technology," said Blake Williamson, MD, of The Williamson Eye Center in Baton Rouge, LA, and a principal investigator of the study. "Knowing that OMNI maintains effectiveness through two-years, and beyond, is very reassuring, not only to me, but also to my patients." Sites participating in this extension study accounted for 86 percent of eyes enrolled in the original ROMEO study from seven multi-specialty ophthalmology practices in six states (Arkansas, California, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and New York). Patients with mild-moderate glaucoma received outflow restorative procedures enabled with the OMNI Surgical System technology either at the time of cataract surgery (n = 43) or as a standalone treatment (n = 29). Patients were divided into high baseline IOP (pre-operative IOP > 18 mmHg, n = 34) and low baseline IOP cohorts (pre-operative IOP ≤ 18 mmHg, n = 38). Average IOP in the high baseline IOP cohort fell 31% (from 21.9 mmHg to 15.2 mmHg) at two years, which included an average reduction of 28% among combination cataract patients (n = 17) and an average reduction of 33% among standalone patients (n = 17). The study also observed a 33% reduction in medication usage on average among all patients at 24 months. "This newest two-year follow-up data from the ROMEO study demonstrates that restorative outflow procedures with our OMNI technology continue to provide consistent and long-term lowering of IOP and glaucoma medication use when performed at the time of cataract surgery and as a standalone treatment," said Paul Badawi, co-founder and CEO of Sight Sciences. "We plan to share additional clinical data that will further illustrate the long-term benefits of our OMNI technology over the coming years." The OMNI Surgical System enables surgeons to provide minimally invasive, implant-free surgery to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) in adults with primary open-angle glaucoma. The procedure intends to restore outflow by targeting all three known points of resistance in the aqueous outflow system: the trabecular meshwork, Schlemm's canal, and the collector channels. It can be used before, in combination with, or following cataract surgery. The study, Canaloplasty and Trabeculotomy with the OMNI System in Patients with Open-Angle Glaucoma: Two-Year Results from the ROMEO Study, was published this month in Clinical Ophthalmology can be found at . About Sight Sciences Sight Sciences is an eyecare technology company focused on developing and commercializing innovative solutions intended to transform care and improve patients' lives. Using minimally invasive or non-invasive approaches to target the underlying causes of the world's most prevalent eye diseases, Sight Sciences seeks to create more effective treatment paradigms that enhance patient care and supplant conventional outdated approaches. The Company's OMNI® Surgical System is a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) technology indicated to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness. The SION™ Surgical Instrument is a bladeless, manually operated device used in ophthalmic surgical procedures to excise trabecular meshwork. In addition, the Company's TearCare® System technology is 510(k) cleared in the United States for the application of localized heat therapy in adult patients with evaporative dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), enabling office-based clearance of gland obstructions by physicians to address the leading cause of dry eye disease. Visit SightSciences.com for more information. About the OMNI Surgical System The OMNI® Surgical System technology is a handheld, single-use therapeutic device for minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). OMNI allows surgeons to access 360 degrees and three primary points of resistance of an eye's diseased conventional outflow pathway (trabecular meshwork, Schlemm's canal, and collector channels) through a single clear corneal microincision. OMNI's FDA-cleared indication is for canaloplasty (the microcatheterization and viscodilation of Schlemm's canal) followed by trabeculotomy (the cutting of trabecular meshwork) to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. OMNI has a CE Mark for the catheterization and transluminal viscodilation of Schlemm's canal and the cutting of trabecular meshwork to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with open-angle glaucoma. OMNI should not be used in any situations where the iridocorneal angle is compromised or has been damaged since it may not be possible to visualize the angle or to properly pass the microcatheter. Do not use the OMNI in patients with angle recession; neovascular glaucoma; chronic angle closure; narrow-angle glaucoma; traumatic or malignant glaucoma; or narrow inlet canals with plateau iris or in quadrants with previous MIGS implants. OMNI technology is protected by a global patent portfolio including 32 issued patents worldwide. OMNI is a registered trademark of Sight Sciences. Visit for more information. © 2023 Sight Sciences. All rights reserved. Media contact - Glaucoma Carmen Caricchio C2M Group pr@SightSciences.com Investor contact Philip Taylor Gilmartin Group 415.937.5406 Investor.Relations@Sightsciences.com