A Summary of Current RP Research Threads
14 July 2010
In an excellent presentation at the 2010 Retina International congress, Professor Gerald Chader from the Doheny Institute in the USA set the detailed presentations to come in context by outlining various threads of RP research and the prospects for clinical trials in the near future. He went on to describe the prospects for Gene Therapy, Pharmaceuticals, Optical Switches, Retinal Implants, Stem Cell Therpary, Neuroprotective Factors and more.
The first part of the presentation is produced below and a transcript of the full presentation is available in the Members' Area of this website using the link at the foot of this page. We extend our thanks to Professor Chader for allowing us to share this presentation with our members.
This document is derived from a slide presentation by Professor Chader at the RI Congress 2010. It set the context for other presentations at the congress which explored the progress of various therapies towards patient trials and summarises the various threads of RP research work underway at present around the world.
Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA USA
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO FIND NEW TREATMENTS FOR RETINAL DEGENERATIVE DISEASES?
Question: Will one type of therapy ever be able to treat all RDs and at all stages of the disease?
Answer: Maybe, but this would be difficult because the RDs are all different from each other and patients also vary in age and in the type, stage and severity of disease. Therefore, it is important to consider different disease situations that might require different types of treatment.
The Two Treatment Situations
A) When most or all photoreceptor cells do not function or are dead:
Here, we could use treatments that directly replace dead photoreceptor cells or at least replace their function in the retina
Photoreceptor Cell Replacement
a) Photoreceptor Transplantation
b) Stem/Progenitor Cells
Electronic Prosthetic Devices (Artificial Vision)
a) Retina
b) Brain
Optical Photoswitches
a) Inducing light sensitivity
B) Where some photoreceptor cells yet are alive:
Here, we could use treatments that prolong the life of photoreceptors and make them function better:
Pharmaceutical Therapy
a) Neuroprotection Therapy
b) Visual Cell Modifiers
c) Nutrition/antioxidants
Gene Therapy
a) Replacement of defective genes
Present and Future Treatments
For further content and to download the full original PowerPoint presentation, please go to the Members' Area of this website
The first part of the presentation is produced below and a transcript of the full presentation is available in the Members' Area of this website using the link at the foot of this page. We extend our thanks to Professor Chader for allowing us to share this presentation with our members.
This document is derived from a slide presentation by Professor Chader at the RI Congress 2010. It set the context for other presentations at the congress which explored the progress of various therapies towards patient trials and summarises the various threads of RP research work underway at present around the world.
CURRENT AND FUTURE CLINICAL TRIALS FOR RD DISEASES: What works, what doesn’t work and what might work in the future.
Gerald J. Chader, Ph.D., M.D.hcDoheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA USA
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO FIND NEW TREATMENTS FOR RETINAL DEGENERATIVE DISEASES?
Question: Will one type of therapy ever be able to treat all RDs and at all stages of the disease?
Answer: Maybe, but this would be difficult because the RDs are all different from each other and patients also vary in age and in the type, stage and severity of disease. Therefore, it is important to consider different disease situations that might require different types of treatment.
The Two Treatment Situations
A) When most or all photoreceptor cells do not function or are dead:
Here, we could use treatments that directly replace dead photoreceptor cells or at least replace their function in the retina
Photoreceptor Cell Replacement
a) Photoreceptor Transplantation
b) Stem/Progenitor Cells
Electronic Prosthetic Devices (Artificial Vision)
a) Retina
b) Brain
Optical Photoswitches
a) Inducing light sensitivity
B) Where some photoreceptor cells yet are alive:
Here, we could use treatments that prolong the life of photoreceptors and make them function better:
Pharmaceutical Therapy
a) Neuroprotection Therapy
b) Visual Cell Modifiers
c) Nutrition/antioxidants
Gene Therapy
a) Replacement of defective genes
Present and Future Treatments
For further content and to download the full original PowerPoint presentation, please go to the Members' Area of this website
