I'm not sure if this would help Jim's immediate medical problems but these
new drugs might prove to be useful at some future time. -Ixy
http://www3.cosmiverse.com/news/science/science07020202.html
Accidental Drug Discovery Dramatically Improves Eyesight
July 2, 2002 8:30 CDT
Sometimes in the field of medical research, if you're very lucky, the
results of a study seem almost too good to be true. Ophthalmologists
around the country are busy pinching themselves in amazement at the
results of an experimental new drug aimed at stopping the two main causes
of adult blindness. They are the "wet" form of macular degeneration, which
affects the elderly, and diabetic retinopathy, the biggest source of
blindness in working-age people.
To call the drug "successful" would be a great disservice to those who
have been the lucky recipients of the treatment. "Miraculous" seems much
more appropriate to them, and with good reason. Vision loss seems halted
for most if they take the drugs soon after their symptoms begin. Some
experience stunning reversals of what would have been inevitable blindness.
What is the source of such amazing results? This trial is the first in an
entirely new class of drugs which stop the misguided growth of blood
vessels in the eye, which if left untreated can cause blindness in as
little as a couple of months, or even weeks.
The problem occurs when leaky blood vessels sprout behind the retina,
probably in a mistaken attempt to fix the slow breakdown of
light-sensitive cells that occurs with age. These vessels ooze fluid and
damage the fragile tissue that controls straight-ahead vision.
This drug, called rhuFab, has made staunch converts out of those
participating in the trial. Thanks to the drug they are resuming active,
full lives and in some cases even driving again and returning to the
workforce.
Dr. Jeffery Heier is from Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, the place
where about half of the 70 patients participating in the trial have
received their treatment. He calls the results of this trial the most
exciting thing he has ever seen in his career.
As amazing as the drug seems to be now, experts caution that these results
are very preliminary and there is still much which is not known about the
drug. No one can say at this point how long the improvement will last, if
repeated injections into the eye will be necessary to maintain improvement,
or what the long-term results of the drug will be. Those are questions it
will take at least a year or two to answer.
Genentech is the company that makes rhuFab, but they are not alone in
their quest to bring a drug from this class of medications to the
marketplace. Also in the running to be the first to market are:
• Anecortave acetate from Alcon, a new steroid injected next to the eye
once every six months for macular degeneration.
• Eyetech Pharmaceuticals' EYE001, which is injected into the eyeball like
rhuFab for macular degeneration.
• Bausch & Lomb's Retisert implant, which exudes a steroid into the eye
for up to three years and is being used for diabetic retinopathy and
macular degeneration.
• Lilly's LY333531, the only pill among the new drugs; used to prevent
worsening eye disease in diabetics.
The exciting developments in this area of medicine are a beautiful thing
to Dr. Judah Folkman of Boston Children's Hospital. It was his 30-odd
years of pioneering research that provided the scientific basis on which
all the drugs in this class are founded. Although Dr. Folkman's research
is based on finding new cancer treatment, he is delighted that his
findings in inhibiting blood vessel growth (and thus tumor growth) could
be useful in such a profound way to so many people.
"Sometimes the most exciting thing in a scientist's career is an
unexpected outcome from one's work," he told the Associated Press.
Source: Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston; Reuters; AP
Received on Fri Jul 05 2002 - 14:51:02 CDT