Week in Review - January 21, 2024

Hello, I am David Hutton of Ophthalmology Times. Welcome to another edition of the EyePod Week in Review podcast, a look back at some of the week’s news headlines from OphthalmologyTimes.com.

Study reveals corneas from drowning victims safe for transplantation

Donor corneas obtained from individuals who drowned are safe for transplantation, according to researchers from the Cornea and Anterior Segment Service, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

The aim of this study, she recounted, was to analyze the tissue quality and outcomes of corneal transplantations from donor corneal tissues harvested from drowning victims from March 2018 to September 2022. The details of the quality of the corneal tissue and the outcomes after the corneal transplantations were collected from the eye bank and outpatient records.

The researchers concluded that donor corneas retrieved from drowning victims may be considered safe for transplantation. The postoperative outcomes of the tissues obtained from these donors were satisfactory.

Iridex enrolls first patient in clinical study evaluating treatment of glaucoma with MicroPulse TLT

Iridex Corp and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London announced the first patient enrollment in a collaborative medical research study and registry evaluating the treatment of glaucoma with MicroPulse Transscleral Laser Therapy using Iridex’ Cyclo G6 Laser and the MicroPulse P3 delivery device.

According to the company, the partnership establishes a large-scale enrollment platform to advance clinical research.

Iridex and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust are focused on running the study in line with the strictest ethical and regulatory standards and look forward to welcoming additional sites to join the program. The collaboration highlights the company’s shared vision for advancing medical science with MicroPulse TLT. It promises significant insights and advancements in glaucoma laser therapy, potentially revolutionizing treatment approaches and enhancing patient care.

Study: Contact lenses to diagnose glaucoma

A team of researchers at Northumbria University is developing contact lenses that can help diagnose glaucoma.

The diseases impacts about 70 million people around the world. However, around half of those living with the disease don’t even know it. The disease develops slowly over time and ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals may only make a diagnosis during routine eye tests, by which time lasting damage may already have been caused.

According to a study published in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye,1 this could change in future as researchers from the UK and Turkey have developed a contact lens which can detect changes in eye pressure which signal possible glaucoma.

After determining the technology works successfully, the researchers expect to continue with additional research that will include a larger group of participants, expected to take place over the next year. The lenses will be marketed and sold through GlakoLens, a spin-off company.

A key benefit of utilizing the GlakoLens contact lenses to diagnose glaucoma in lieu of a traditional examination is that measurements can easily be completed over a longer period of time, giving a more accurate diagnosis.

Eyenovia re-acquires development, commercialization rights to MicroPine in US, Canada

Eyenovia Inc announced it has re-acquired the rights to MicroPine in the United States and Canada.

According to a news release, MicroPine, an investigational 8-microliter ophthalmic spray of atropine delivered by Eyenovia’s proprietary Optejet device, is being evaluated as a potential treatment for pediatric progressive myopia (worsening near-sightedness), which is characterized by elongation of the sclera/retina.

Progressive myopia, if left unchecked, has the potential to lead to significant vision loss and potential blindness. Prior studies have demonstrated that atropine can slow myopia progression by as much as 60%, and there is a significant unmet need for safe and effective FDA-approved treatment options.

In August 2023, Eyenovia acquired the U.S. commercial rights to APP-13007 from Formosa Pharmaceuticals. APP-13007, which currently is under review by the FDA, is a potent steroid being developed to reduce pain and inflammation after ocular surgery.

The FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of March 4 for APP-13007.

Thank you for joining me for this week’s EyePod Week in Review. For complete versions of these articles and other news, visit OphthalmologyTimes.com.