The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) has begun a new clinical trial set to delay the progression of eye damage caused by diabetes.
Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) occurs when high blood sugar causes damage to the retina’s blood vessels, leading to swelling, leaking or blockages.
NPDR affects more than one in three people with diabetes globally, and current treatment options such as injections and laser therapy are invasive and typically reserved for advanced stages.
Researchers at UniSC Clinical Trials, in collaboration with pharmaceutical firm VantageBio, are trialling a whether a new tablet could help stop or slow the progression of diabetic eye disease.
“What makes this trial unique is the opportunity to test a non-invasive investigational tablet designed to target one of the major ways that diabetes can damage the eyes,” principal investigator for the trial Associate Professor Thomas Campbell said.
“The potential innovative oral therapy is intended to target the inflammatory processes in the eye, to reduce oxidative stress and prevent retinal damage.
“The aim is to prevent the disease from progressing to the point where current invasive treatments, such as laser therapy or eye injections, become necessary.”
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Clinical trial coordinator Lindley Mattiazzi said the trial team was calling for people aged 18 years or older who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe cases of NPDR to participate in the study.
“Trial participants will be asked to attend 10 visits and several phone calls at our Birtinya clinic over approximately 15 months,” she said.
“Participants will receive reimbursement for their time and travel expenses, and all trial-related potential treatment is of no cost to those involved.”
For more information visit www.usc.edu.au/trials or call (07) 5409 8640.
