Optic neuritis treatments vary greatly for NMO and MS

Did you miss the July 18th issue of the Ophthalmology Times eReport? In this e-newsletter we released information on optic neuritis treatments, the Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) summer symposium, transcorneal electrical stimulation, and more. Check out the articles in this issue below.

Optic neuritis treatments vary greatly for NMO and MS

Optic neuritis in juvenile neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a potentially blinding disease in pubescent and post-pubescent patients in the French West Indies. The treatments used for relapses of the disease and prevention are not well defined; however, they are very different from those used to treat patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The critical need is to be able to differentiate between MS and NMO before treatment is initiated to preserve the visual and motor functions of those young patients, according to Rabih Hage, MD. Read more

Oral uveitis agent set for phase III trial

Patient enrollment has been completed for a phase III clinical trial of oral voclosporin (Luveniq, Lux Biosciences) for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis. Read more

Ophthalmic Women Leaders partners with Women in Ophthalmology for WIO Summer Symposium

Ophthalmic Women Leaders (OWL) is participating in the Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) summer symposium in Williamsburg, VA. Read more

RP studies look at implants and transcorneal electrical stimulation

Updates on research into therapies for both early- and late-stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP) were presented at the Retinal International World Congress. Read more

Dr. Osher receives latest Kelman Award at the Brazilian Congress of Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology Times Associate Medical Editor Robert H. Osher, MD, received the Kelman Award at the Brazilian Congress of Ophthalmology. Read more

University of Tennessee to feature lecture by glaucoma expert, M. Bruce Shields, MD

Glaucoma expert M. Bruce Shields, MD, will lecture at the Hamilton Eye Institute at the University of Tennessee (UT) Health Science Center Department of Ophthalmology. Read more

Topcon introduces new device, celebrates 80 years

Topcon Medical Systems has introduced a new computerized lensmeter (CL-300 Computerized Lensmeter) in U.S and Latin American markets. Read more

US FDA staff questions dosing of Lucentis eye drug

U.S. drug reviewers on Tuesday said Roche Holding AG’s eye drug Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) appeared to help patients with diabetic macular edema (DME), but questioned whether two different doses of the drug were equally safe and effective.

Staff from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewed Lucentis ahead of an advisory panel of outside experts, which meets on Thursday to vote on whether to recommend approval of expanded use of the drug, which is administered monthly by injection.

Lucentis is already approved to treat wet age-related macular edema. It is also approved for macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

Roche is hoping to expand its use to people with diabetic DME, the most common cause of moderate vision loss in patients with diabetes. There are currently no FDA-approved drugs for DME, a leading cause of vision loss among people of working age.

DME is currently treated by laser, which stops blood vessel leakage and can slow vision loss but rarely leads to vision improvement, Roche said.

In clinical trials Lucentis, made by Roche unit Genentech, helped patients see at least 15 extra letters on an eye chart, the primary goal of the study, FDA reviewers said.

People were also generally able to sustain the improvement in vision for at least 24 months — although those who took the 0.5 mg dose lost a bit of vision after the 18th month.

Both doses (0.5 and 0.3 mg) were generally safe, although there were slightly more deaths at the higher dose — 11 people who received the 0.5 mg dose died during the clinical trial, compared to seven taking the 0.3 mg dose and three receiving a sham injection. Each group contained 250 patients.

The FDA will ask advisers to recommend whether both doses of the drug should be approved for use against DME.

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