In an Australian first, a clinical trial of an investigational gene therapy to treat dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has begun at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA).
CERA’s Principal Investigator of Retinal Gene Therapy Research and vitreoretinal surgeon Dr Tom Edwards performed the first surgeries to administer the investigational gene therapy to patients at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne.
Dr Tom Edwards performed the first surgeries to administer the investigational gene therapy to patients at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne
This investigational gene therapy, being developed by Gyroscope Therapeutics Limited, is being studied in two studies evaluating its safety and effectiveness for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to AMD.
Around 20 Australians with dry AMD are expected to take part in the HORIZON and EXPLORE trials, which are Phase II, multicentre, randomised, controlled trials evaluating the safety and effectiveness of an investigational gene therapy.
“Having the dry form of AMD is a devastating diagnosis which robs people of their ability to read, drive or even see the faces of loved ones,’’ says Dr Edwards.
“There is currently no approved treatment for dry AMD. As dry AMD advances, it leads to an irreversible degeneration of retinal cells, causing a gradual and permanent loss of central vision.|
“We look forward to advancing important research for people facing devastating vision loss.”
For more information on the HORIZON trial [NCT04566445] or the EXPLORE trial [NCT04437368] please visit Gyroscope Therapeutics or Clinicaltrials.gov
