Converting to Eylea from Avastin may benefit Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema

(c) British Journal of Ophthalmology

A study from Portugal, published in Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, finds changing from bevacizumab (avastin) to aflibercept (eylea) for persistent diabetic macular edema resulted in functional and anatomical improvements. Central macular thickness previous to starting aflibercept was found to be a predictor of anatomical changes after aflibercept.

Beware: Using colored contact lenses on Halloween may lead to blindness!

Whether you’re a ghost or zombie, vampire or witch, poor costume choices—including decorative (colored) contact lenses and flammable costumes—and face paint allergies can cause injuries that haunt you long after Halloween. Also remember what eating lots of sweet candy can do to your or your children's body.

It always pays to be aware and careful. Happy Halloween!

DNA & RNA editing - the future of disease management

Scientists at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have developed a new class of DNA base editor that can alter genomic structure to help repair the type of mutations that account for half of human disease-associated point mutations. These mutations are associated with disorders ranging from genetic blindness to sickle-cell anemia to metabolic disorders to cystic fibrosis.

Suprachoroidal injection - Clearside's approach to treating Diabetic Macular Edema

(c) NEI

Clearside Biomedical, Inc. has completed patient enrollment in the Phase 2 clinical trial (referred to as "TYBEE") of CLS-TA, the company's proprietary suspension formulation of the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for suprachoroidal administration, used in combination with intravitreally administered Eylea^TM (aflibercept) for treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).  Patient follow-up in the TYBEE trial is 6 months.

Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy - The Gene Therapy race to treatment

GenSight Biologics, which is in advanced stages of clinical development of gene therapy for Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, has a new Chief Medical Officer. Barrett Katz, M.D., M.B.A., who until recently was the Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Dr. Katz has worked in both academic medicine and the industry as a neuro-ophthalmologist, working as CEO of ophthalmic biotech Danube Pharmaceuticals, as well as CMO of Fovea Pharmaceuticals and VP of medical affairs and strategy at Eyetech.

Biosimilars and clinical care - information for healthcare providers - Part I

A significant number of people, both in clinics and in pharmaceutical industry, mention the fact that they keep hearing of the word 'biosimilars' in academic meetings and in discussions, but they have no idea what they are, and what they do. Considering that biosimilars are likely to affect the way we practice medicine in the days ahead, it is important that we are aware of what biosimilars mean, and what they do. Also, it is important from the pharmaceutical industry perspective that everyone is knowledgeable of the process for an approval. Lastly, there is a minuscule, but very relevant question, about legal implications, which may or may not break your/your company's back in getting the drug to the market! The last two topics will be covered in subsequent posts.