• Login
    • Join
  • FOLLOW:
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Top 30
    • Research
    • Supply Chain
    • Device Sectors
    • Directory
    • Events
    • Resources
    • Microsites
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Top 30
  • Research
  • Supply Chain
  • Device Sectors
  • Directory
  • Events
  • Resources
  • Microsites
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Editorial Guidelines
    Reprints
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Top Features
    The Changing Face of Medtech Surface Treatment

    The Totally Tubular Technologies that Support Medical Devices

    Simply Stimulating: Examining the Neurostimulation Sector

    Sensing Technology Drives the Future of Medical Care

    New and Developing Diabetes Technologies Offer 'Sweet Relief'
    OEM News
    Supplier News
    Service / Press Releases
    Online Exclusives
    Press Releases
    People in the News
    Product & Service Releases
    Supplier News
    Medtech Makers
    Technical Features
    International News
    Videos
    Product & Service Releases
    Live From Shows
    Regulatory
    Financial/Business
    Top News
    Sensydia Achieves Study Target for Heart-Sound AI

    Teleflex to Expand Facility in Jaffrey, New Hampshire

    TransMed7's Concorde Soft Tissue Biopsy Devices Used in First Clinical Cases

    Tracey Technologies Upgrades iTrace Software

    Foster Corporation Rebrands its Distribution Business
    From the Editor
    Blogs
    Guest Opinions
    Top Opinions
    The Changing Face of Medtech Surface Treatment

    The Totally Tubular Technologies that Support Medical Devices

    Simply Stimulating: Examining the Neurostimulation Sector

    Sensing Technology Drives the Future of Medical Care

    New and Developing Diabetes Technologies Offer 'Sweet Relief'
    Top 30 Medical Device Companies
    Market Data
    White Papers
    Top Research
    Timeline Mystery for Updated EtO Rules

    An Update on Hospital Trends Post-Pandemic

    Don’t Fear the Audit: Benefits of Good Quality Practices

    Understanding the FDA’s Standards & Conformity Assessment Program

    Medtech Divestitures Are Good for Medtech Innovation
    3D/Additive Manufacturing
    Contract Manufacturing
    Electronics
    Machining & Laser Processing
    Materials
    Molding
    Packaging & Sterilization
    R&D & Design
    Software & IT
    Testing
    Tubing & Extrusion
    Cardiovascular
    Diagnostics
    Digital Health
    Neurological
    Patient Monitoring
    Surgical
    Orthopedics
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Capabilities
    Add New Company
    Outsourcing Directory
    Halkey-Roberts Corporation

    JBC Technologies

    NDH Medical Inc.

    Fusion Biotec Inc.

    Cirtec Medical
    MPO Summit
    Industry Events
    Webinars
    Live From Show Event
    Industry Associations
    Videos
    Career Central
    eBook
    Slideshows
    Top Resources
    Designing for Manufacturing: 5 Common Startup Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

    5 Challenges Medtech Must Address to Transform Healthcare

    3D Printing Medical Devices Revolutionized Manufacturing

    5 Current Trends in Medical Device Security

    How Advanced Sensors Improve Design & Functionality of Respiratory Care Equipment
    Companies
    News Releases
    Product Releases
    Press Releases
    Product Spec Sheets
    Service Releases
    Case Studies
    White Papers
    Brochures
    Videos
    Outsourcing Directory
    Halkey-Roberts Corporation

    JBC Technologies

    NDH Medical Inc.

    Fusion Biotec Inc.

    Cirtec Medical
    • Magazine
      • Current/Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Editions
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • News
    • Directory
      • All Companies
      • ALL CATEGORIES
      • Industry Associations
      • Company Capabilities
      • Add Your Company
    • Supply Chain
      • 3D/Additive Manufacturing
      • Contract Manufacturing
      • Electronics
      • Machining & Laser Processing
      • Materials
      • Molding
      • Packaging & Sterilization
      • R&D & Design
      • Software & IT
      • Testing
      • Tubing & Extrusion
    • Device Sectors
      • Cardiovascular
      • Diagnostics
      • Digital Health
      • Neurological
      • Patient Monitoring
      • Surgical
      • Orthopedics
    • Top 30 Company Report
    • Expert Insights
    • Slideshows
    • Videos
    • eBook
    • Resources
    • Podcasts
    • Infographics
    • Whitepapers
    • Research
      • White Papers
      • Case Studies
      • Product Spec Sheets
      • Market Data
    • MPO Summit
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Events
      • Webinars
    • Microsite
      • Companies
      • Product Releases
      • Product Spec Sheets
      • Services
      • White Papers / Tech Papers
      • Press Releases
      • Videos
      • Literature / Brochures
      • Case Studies
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise with Us
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Breaking News

    Implanted Drug ‘Reservoir’ Safely Reduces Injections for Macular Degeneration Patients

    Implanting a medication reservoir in eyes lessens the need for injections and may reduce clinic visits to twice per year.

    Implanted Drug ‘Reservoir’ Safely Reduces Injections for Macular Degeneration Patients
    Port Delivery System. Image courtesy of Genetech.
    Johns Hopkins Medicine06.14.19
    In a clinical trial of 220 people with “wet” age-related macular degeneration, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, collaborators from many sites across the country, and Genentech in South San Francisco have added to evidence that using a new implant technology that continuously delivers medication into the eyes is safe and effective in helping maintain vision and reduces the need for injections in the eyes.
     
    The investigators note that research is needed on larger groups of patients before the implant can be approved for commercial availability and use.
     
     “Current treatment programs require frequent visits to the doctor, commonly every four to six weeks, for injections of medication. Missed appointments, which are common, can lead to an irreversible decline in vision, “ said Peter Campochiaro, M.D., the George S. and Dolores D. Eccles Professor in Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins. “This study shows that the implant is safe and effective, and may only require a clinic visit and refill every six months.”
     
    The research findings were published online April 1 in the journal Ophthalmology.
     
    According to the National Eye Institute, some 8 million adults over age 50 in the United States have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a progressive condition marked by the loss of central vision and permanent damage to cells in the light-sensitive retina. The advanced, or so-called wet, form of AMD is a major cause of blindness in 1.75 million elderly Americans. In these people, a buildup of debris in the retina triggers the overproduction of a growth factor called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which stimulates overgrowth of blood vessels that leak, causing swelling and—if untreated—scarring of the retina. Like pouring water on electrical wires, the process interferes with the neural network that enables sight, causing vision to blur.
     
    Although no therapies are available to cure the condition, several drugs suppress VEGF and slow the disease progression when injected directly into the eye. The treatments, Campochiaro notes, help preserve central vision but only temporarily, partly because the drugs’ effect is not long lasting. Even monthly injections may show relatively rapid swings in the level of retina swelling due to stopping and then restarting of leakage from blood vessels.
     
    In an effort to keep drug levels more steady, investigators have been testing the value of a port delivery system, a reservoir that is implanted in patients’ eyes through a small incision and slowly releases medication over time.
     
    When the reservoir is implanted, physicians can replenish the medication without removing the reservoir.
     
    To test the technology’s effectiveness and safety, researchers recruited 220 patients with wet-form AMD from 49 sites across the U.S. over a two-year period from Sept. 29, 2015, to Sept. 5, 2017. The mean age of patients was 73.8, with a range of 50 to 92 years, and 64.1 percent were female. The majority of patients were white (97.7 percent); 0.9 percent were American Indian and 0.5 percent were African American.
     
    Each patient had the implant in one eye and was tracked with measurements of vision, fluid in the retina, safety and side effects each month for nine to 38 months after implantation.
     
    Researchers filled the reservoir with 10 milligrams per milliliter of medication in 58 patients, 40 milligrams per milliliter of medication in 62 patients, and 100 milligrams per milliliter of medication in 59 patients. For comparison, they followed a control group of 41 patients who received the traditional treatment of a monthly injection of 0.5 milligram of medication.
     
    During each visit, ophthalmologists assessed the severity of retinal swelling, the patient’s eyesight and development of new macular bleeding to assess the need for reservoir refills.
     
    On average, patients who were implanted with the reservoir filled with 100 milligrams per millimeter of medication did not require a refill until 15 months after implantation, and about 80 percent of patients with this dosage went beyond six months before needing a refill.
     
    Researchers also say there was a significant average improvement in the eyesight of patients with 100 milligrams per millimeter of medication. At the starting point, the average vision for the patients was being able to see, standing 20 feet from an eye chart, what an average person can see 40 feet away from the eye chart. After nine months of treatment, these patients could see an average of five more letters—at 20 feet away from the eye chart, they could see what an average person can see 32 feet away.
     
    In comparison, patients with the reservoir of 10 milligrams per millimeter of medication and 40 milligrams per millimeter of medication could see 3.2 and 0.5 fewer eye chart letters respectively compared to baseline, and the average times to first implant refill were 8.7 months and 13 months respectively. Patients treated with traditional monthly injection could see an average of 3.9 more letters than during their initial appointment during the study.
     
    Besides improving eyesight, the technology was safe for patients. Eleven of the first 22 patients experienced some bleeding into the eye after implantation, leading to a change in the implant procedure, after which only seven of 157 experienced bleeding.
     
    Studies are planned with a larger group of patients receiving implants with a reservoir holding the 100 milligram per milliliter dosage. Campochiaro said the cost of the implant is not yet known, but over time, it is likely to be less than that of monthly injections, which currently is about $2,000 per injection.
     
    Campochiaro said other treatments that provide sustained suppression of VEGF, such as gene therapy, are also being tested in clinical trials, and results will be available by the end of the year.
     
    Other authors of the study include Dennis Marcus, M.D., from the Southeast Retina Center, Augusta, Georgia; Carl Awh, M.D., from Tennessee Retina, Nashville, Tennessee; Carl Regillo, M.D., from Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;  and Anthony Adamis, M.D., Vladimir Bantseev, Ph.D., Yawen Chiang, Ph.D., Jason Ehrlich, M.D., Ph.D., Signe Erickson, Ph.D., William Hanley, Ph.D., Joshua Horvath, Ph.D., Katie Maass, Ph.D., Natasha Singh, Pharm.D., Fan Tang, Ph.D., and Giulio Barteselli, M.D., from Genentech, South San Francisco, California.
     
    Genentech provided support for the study and participated in the study design, conducting the study and data collection, management and interpretation. Third-party writing assistance was provided by Betsy Taylor, Ph.D., of Envision Pharma Group and funded by Genentech.
    Related Searches
    • research
    • macular degeneration
    • blood
    • it
    Suggested For You
    Industry Events Schedule Disrupted Due to Coronavirus—Full Event List Industry Events Schedule Disrupted Due to Coronavirus—Full Event List
    AtriCure Enrolls First Patient in the DEEP IDE Trial Restart AtriCure Enrolls First Patient in the DEEP IDE Trial Restart
    New Blood Test Uses DNA ‘Packaging’ Patterns to Detect Multiple Cancer Types New Blood Test Uses DNA ‘Packaging’ Patterns to Detect Multiple Cancer Types
    Implandata Gains CE Mark for Next-Generation EyeMate System Implandata Gains CE Mark for Next-Generation EyeMate System
    Alcon Debuts as an Independent Company Alcon Debuts as an Independent Company
    Ocutrx Vision Technologies Unveils Oculenz AR Cellular with Eye-Tracking Glasses Design Ocutrx Vision Technologies Unveils Oculenz AR Cellular with Eye-Tracking Glasses Design
    FemPulse Announces Enrollment in Multi-Center EVANESCE-OAB Study FemPulse Announces Enrollment in Multi-Center EVANESCE-OAB Study
    Early Detection, Home Monitoring Tests for Lupus Nephritis Under Development Early Detection, Home Monitoring Tests for Lupus Nephritis Under Development
    First Patient Treated for Severe Emphysema with Olympus First Patient Treated for Severe Emphysema with Olympus' Spiration Valve System
    Medality Medical Receives FDA IDE Approval for Reversal of Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trial Medality Medical Receives FDA IDE Approval for Reversal of Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trial
    GI Dynamics Announces Institutional Review Board Approval for EndoBarrier Pivotal Trial GI Dynamics Announces Institutional Review Board Approval for EndoBarrier Pivotal Trial
    Hydrogel Contact Lens Could Treat Serious Eye Disease Hydrogel Contact Lens Could Treat Serious Eye Disease
    Presbia Achieves ISO 3485 Certification Presbia Achieves ISO 3485 Certification
    FDA Awards Breakthrough Status to Blood Test to Determine Alzheimer FDA Awards Breakthrough Status to Blood Test to Determine Alzheimer's Risk
    FDA Clears Cook Medical & Zelegant FDA Clears Cook Medical & Zelegant's ElevoKit Snoring Intervention Device

    Related Breaking News

    • Industry Events Schedule Disrupted Due to Coronavirus—Full Event List

      Industry Events Schedule Disrupted Due to Coronavirus—Full Event List

      The medical device manufacturing industry has seen the postponement or cancellation of a number of upcoming events.
      Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief 03.30.20

    • Cardiovascular
      AtriCure Enrolls First Patient in the DEEP IDE Trial Restart

      AtriCure Enrolls First Patient in the DEEP IDE Trial Restart

      The study is intended to establish the safety and effectiveness of a dual epicardial and endocardial ablation procedure.
      Business Wire 06.07.19

    • New Blood Test Uses DNA ‘Packaging’ Patterns to Detect Multiple Cancer Types

      New Blood Test Uses DNA ‘Packaging’ Patterns to Detect Multiple Cancer Types

      The test could potentially detect the presence of seven different types of cancer.
      Johns Hopkins Medicine 05.31.19


    • Implandata Gains CE Mark for Next-Generation EyeMate System

      Implandata Gains CE Mark for Next-Generation EyeMate System

      Technology undergoing European market launch.
      B3C Newswire 05.06.19

    • Surgical
      Alcon Debuts as an Independent Company

      Alcon Debuts as an Independent Company

      Company completes separation from Novartis; began trading April 9 on SIX Swiss Exchange and NYSE.
      Business Wire 04.10.19

    Loading, Please Wait..

    Trending
    • Medinbox And Abbott Partner To Increase Efficiency In Electrophysiology Labs
    • FDA Clears LiveMetric's Wearable Blood Pressure Monitoring Tech
    • FDA Approves Abbott's Epic Max Tissue Valve For Aortic Valve Disease
    • 5 Ways Plastics Revolutionized The Healthcare Industry
    • A New Approach To Post-Market Surveillance
    Breaking News
    • ABB Robots Automate COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Test
    • Sensydia Achieves Study Target for Heart-Sound AI
    • Canadian Health System Evaluating Abdominal Wound Closure Tech
    • Teleflex to Expand Facility in Jaffrey, New Hampshire
    • TransMed7's Concorde Soft Tissue Biopsy Devices Used in First Clinical Cases
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    March 2023

    • Sensing Technology Drives the Future of Medical Care
    • New and Developing Diabetes Technologies Offer 'Sweet Relief'
    • Discussing Matters of Substance in Medtech Materials
    • Medical Device Testers Are Caught Up in a Whirlwind
    • View More >

    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe
    Nutraceuticals World

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    Jiaherb Receives CITES Certification for Rhodiola Rosea
    Hyaluronic Acid Ingredient Linked to Antioxidant Benefits In Vitro
    Anita Johansen Appointed New CEO of Probi
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    BASF’s Monomers Division Receive ISCC+ Certification in Its Two Asian Production Sites
    Omya to Represent Songwon’s Coatings Portfolio in 4 South-Asian Countries
    Brenntag Commences Operations at Its New Site in Zhangjiagang, China
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    Canadian Health System Evaluating Abdominal Wound Closure Tech
    Teleflex to Expand Facility in Jaffrey, New Hampshire
    TransMed7's Concorde Soft Tissue Biopsy Devices Used in First Clinical Cases
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Mytide Names Martina Diekmann CEO
    Quotient Sciences Supports Crinetics Pharma with Pediatric Development, Clinical Testing Program
    Syndax Pharmaceuticals Names Neil Gallagher President, Head of R&D
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    Rimmel London Chooses Maya Jama as the New Face of the Brand
    Give Back Beauty Taps Meri Baregamian as CEO of Indie & Talents Division
    Matrix Introduces Demi Permanent Gel Toner Collection via Metaverse Event
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Gillette Venus Launches First Ever Dermaplaning Skincare Collection
    L'Oréal Canada Implements L'Oréal's Product Impact Labeling System
    Florida Woman Patents Method of Infusing Essential Oils into a Face Mask
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    ACTEGA to Showcase Products and Solutions at Interpack 2023
    hubergroup Print Solutions Takes Stock of Digital Print Folders
    INX International Makes Investment in Gooten
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    Beontag moves up on list of Fastest Growing Companies 2023
    Two from Sun Chemical honored with NAPIM Pioneer Awards
    Loftware secures significant growth equity investment
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    Binder Unveils New Look, Website
    Drylock Technologies Plants First Trees in Drylock Forest
    A.Celli Group to Hold Open House
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    European Innovation Council Awards Grant for Brain-Computer Interface Tech
    Report: No Complications With OssDsign Catalyst Graft
    FDA OKs Bioretec's RemeOs Bioresorbable Metal Trauma Screw
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Emerson Named 2023 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year
    Nano Dimension Increases Offer to Acquire Stratasys to $19.55 Per Share in Cash
    Universal Display Sponsors, Presents at ICDT 2023

    Copyright © 2023 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login