Latest News from MD Support

Fenretinide for Dry AMD Still Showing Positive Results

ReVision Therapeutics, Inc. announced on September 1, 2010 that data from a Phase 2b trial show that fenretinide (RT-101) reduced the incidence of choroidal neovascularization (CNV, wet age related macular degeneration) by about 50 percent in patients with geographic atrophy (GA), the most advanced form of dry AMD.

The data, presented by Alexander M. Eaton, M.D., at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Retinal Specialists, also showed a trend for reduced GA lesion growth rates in patients receiving fenretinide. Fenretinide is the first oral therapeutic to complete a Phase 2 trial in GA patients.

Full analysis of all lesion size measurements is ongoing. The complete data will be presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Read more.

Read a summary of all treatments for dry AMD under investigation.

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Federal Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research Put On Hold Again

A preliminary injunction against federal funding for research involving human embryonic stem cells was issued on August 25, 2010 by Judge Royce Lamberth of U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The judge said federal funding violated the 1996 Dickey-Wicker law prohibiting federal money for research in which an embryo was destroyed. His decision was in response to a lawsuit brought by Nightlight Christian Adoptions and several other organizations.

In March 2009, President Obama signed an order allowing federal funds to be used on embryonic stem cell lines created since 2001, though not for any additional lines. This order overturned former President George Bush's ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Judge Lamberth's decision, however, now effectively puts in legal limbo tens of millions of dollars in grant money that has been awarded since the ban was lifted. The Justice Department is moving quickly to appeal the decision.

For complete information on stem cells as a treatment for retinal disease, view "Understanding Stem Cells" in the Research and Treatment section of the MD Support Audio/Visual Library.

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Glaucoma Explained

Glaucoma is a disease in which the optic nerve is damaged, leading to progressive, irreversible loss of vision. With drug injections now a common treatment for AMD, we need to be aware of the risk of increased eye pressure, a major cause of glaucoma.

The August 2010 webcast of the International MD Support Group introduced David Mittelstein, founder of Vision for Vision, based in Laguna Niguel, CA. He explained the causes, types, and treatments for glaucoma to help us prevent it from affecting ourselves and those we care about. IMDSG co-moderator Edward J. Huggett, O.D., led the session, providing clear and comprehensive answers to questions from the listening audience.

The free presentation, "What You Should Know About Glaucoma," is now available in flash format from the MD Support Audio/Visual Library.

For information about affiliating an existing support group or starting a new group as one of the IMDSG's 220+ world-wide affiliates, select this link.

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"The First Year: Age-Related Macular Degeneration"
An essential guide for the newly-diagnosed and anyone else affected by diseases leading to central vision loss.

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