Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Children's Medical Center Corporation

Other

The General Hospital Corporation

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Quadra Logic Technologies, Inc.

Qlt Inc.

Joan W Miller

Demetrios Vavvas

Evangelos S Gragoudas

Anthony P Adamis

Georgios Trichonas

Yusuke Murakami

Eirini Iliaki

Larry I Benowitz

Deeba Husain

Maki Kayama

Jeffrey T Borenstein

Raanan A Miller

Julia G Levy

Mark Joseph Mescher

Tayyaba Hasan

Mitchell L Hansberry

David Noam Zacks

Christopher E Dubé

Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth

Ines Maria De Carvalho Lains

Vasiliki Poulaki

Vassiliki Poulaki

Akihisa Matsubara

Marcie G Weinstein

Reem Z Renno

Lucia Sobrin

Kimio Takeuchi

Dimosthenis Mantopoulos

Evangelos S Gradoudas

Jun Suzuki

Lucy Hy Young

Larry Benowitz

Evangalos S Gragoudas

This disclosure relates to biomarkers for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and methods of use thereof, e.g., methods of the use of biomarkers for determining that a subject has Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) or determining the stage of AMD in a subject.

Biomarkers for age-related macular degeneration

Methods of using a high-dose statin for treatment of AMD in a patient can be used to regress drusen and/or drusenoid pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs), to prevent atrophy of the RPE and/or one or more photoreceptors, to prevent vision loss and/or improve visual acuity, and/or to prevent progression from dry AMD to wet AMD.

High-dose statins for age-related macular degeneration

Provided are methods for treating ocular inflammatory disorders, including macular edema, using an AMP kinase activator, e.g., 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-&#x3b2;-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR). The method reduces inflammation, thereby minimizing the loss of vision or visual function associated with these ocular disorders.

Methods for treating ocular inflammatory disorders

Provided are methods for promoting axon regeneration of a Central Nervous System (CNS) neuron and promoting nerve function following injury to a CNS neuron, for example, brain and/or spinal cord injury. Axon regeneration in a CNS neuron or nerve function following injury to a CNS neuron can be promoted by administering a necrosis inhibitor either alone or in combination with an apoptosis inhibitor to a subject suffering from a CNS disorder, wherein a symptom of the CNS disorder is axon degeneration.

Methods for treating diabetic neurotherapy

Provided are methods and compositions for maintaining the viability of photoreceptor cells and/or retinal pigment epithelial cells in a subject with an ocular disorder including, for example, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (e.g., dry or neovascular AMD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), or a retinal detachment. The viability of the photoreceptor cells and/or the retinal pigment epithelial cells can be preserved by administering a necrosis inhibitor either alone or in combination with an apoptosis inhibitor to a subject having an eye with the ocular condition. The compositions, when administered, maintain the viability of the cells, thereby minimizing the loss of vision or visual function associated with the ocular disorder.

Compositions for preserving photoreceptor cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells, or visual function

Provided are methods and compositions for maintaining the viability of retinal ganglion cells in a subject with an ocular disorder including, for example, glaucoma and optic nerve injury. The viability of the retinal ganglion cells can be preserved by administering a necrosis inhibitor either alone or in combination with an apoptosis inhibitor to a subject having an eye with the ocular condition. The compositions, when administered, maintain the viability of the cells and/or promote axon regeneration, thereby minimizing the loss of vision or visual function associated with the ocular disorder.

Methods and compositions for preserving retinal ganglion cells

The invention provides a photodynamic therapy-based method for treating ocular glaucoma. A photosensitizer, for example, a benzoporphyrin derivative photosensitizer, is administered to a mammal either having or at risk of developing ocular glaucoma. The photosensitizer, when present in the ciliary body, is activated by light, for example, light from a laser. The treatment results in a reduction of intraocular pressure within the treated eye, which can persist for a prolonged period of time.

Methods and compositions for treating ocular glaucoma

Methods and compositions for preserving photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelial cells

Methods of treating ocular neovascularization, e.g., associated with wet agerelated macular degeneration (AMD), using activators of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and/or of Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN).

Treating ocular neovascularization

Methods for treating spinal cord injury

Provided are methods for maintaining the viability of photoreceptor cells following retinal detachment. The viability of photoreceptor cells can be preserved by administering a hydrophilic bile acid (e.g., UDCA or TUDCA) to a mammal having an eye with a detached retina. Administration of the hydrophilic bile acid maintains the viability of the photoreceptor cells until such time that the retina becomes reattached to the underlying retinal pigment epithelium and choroid, thereby minimizing the loss of vision or visual acuity, which otherwise may occur as a result of the retinal detachment.

Methods for preserving photoreceptor cell viability following retinal detachment

The invention includes a method of treating an intraocular disorder in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal a Very Late Antigen-4 (VLA-4) antagonist for the treatment of selected ocular disorders.

Treatment of ocular disorders

Growing community of inventors

Winchester, MA, United States of America

Joan W Miller