Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

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Please note that we are a research service provider, not a pharmacy or clinic, so we are unable to see patients and do not offer diagnostic and treatment services for individuals.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is one of the most frequent causes of unremedial eyesight impairment within the aged populace in developed nations. At Protheragen, we are committed to advancing the field of AMD diagnostics and therapeutics through our comprehensive suite of services.

Overview of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a type of retinal disease that progressively worsens and has a negative effect on eyesight. It is becoming the greatest cause of partial vision loss for people who are 65 years and older in developed countries. The disease targets the macula, which is the area at the center of the retina responsible for fine vision. The phenomenon is marked by the deposit of waste materials, termed as drusen, beneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) accompanied by age. This accumulation leads to RPE dysfunction, photoreceptor degeneration, and, in advanced stages, choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or geographic atrophy (GA).

Normal layers of the retina (periodic acid–Schiff [PAS] stain).

Fig.1 Staining of normal layers of the retina. (Thomas C. J., et al., 2021)

Therapeutics Development for Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Anti-VEGF Therapy
Anti-VEGF drugs are at the core of therapy directed towards wet AMD. Such drugs include ranibizumab, aflibercept, and even bevacizumab, all of which do the same work—to suppress the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that is responsible for CNV formation and influences vascular permeability.
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
PDT entails the intravenous injection of a photosensitizing drug (verteporfin) and subsequent activation by a low-energy laser. This method is specifically designed to obliterate the pathological vasculature within the macula, thereby attenuating the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and conserving the peripheral structures.

Complement Inhibitors
As possible remedies for dry AMD, complement inhibitors are gradually gaining acceptance. An example of this therapy is lampalizumab, which is a humanized monoclonal antibody fragment targeting complement factor D. In phase II trials, GA progression was reduced by 20% post-therapeutic.
Emerging Therapies
Advanced therapies for AMD are currently being studied including stem cell transplantations, protectors of mitochondria, and therapies that make use of RNA. For instance, initial human trials of subretinal transplants of human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells have shown positive outcomes, including improved acuity in some cases.

Table 1 Emerging therapeutics targeting advanced AMD are being tested actively
in clinical trials. (Al-Zamil W. M., et al., 2017)

Agent	Targeted pathology	Route of administration	Mechanism of action
Lampalizumab	GA	Intravitreal	Anti-factor D Fab
MTP-131 (Ocuvia)	GA	Topical	Mitochondrial protective compound
Brimonidine tartrate implant	GA	Intravitreal implant	Alpha-2-antagonist
Oracea	GA	Oral	Antibiotic–anti-inflammatory
MA09-hRPE	GA	Subretinal injection	Human umbilical tissue-derived cells
Eculizumab	GA	Intravitreal	mAb against complement factor C5
Proton radiation	Neovascular AMD	External radiation	Radiation: proton radiation
RTH258	Neovascular AMD	Intravitreal injection	Anti-VEGF
E10030	Neovascular AMD	Intravitreal	Anti-PDGF PEGylated aptamer
Abicipar pegol	Neovascular AMD	Intravitreal injection	Anti-VEGF

Disclaimer: Protheragen focuses on providing preclinical research services. This table is for information exchange purposes only. This table is not a treatment plan recommendation. For guidance on treatment options, please visit a regular hospital.

Our Services

Protheragen is a pioneer in the development of AMD diagnostics and therapeutics, focusing on technologies that improve the understanding and therapeutics of this disease. We possess the capabilities for the development of state-of-the-art AMD diagnostics and the formulation of novel therapeutic strategies, enhancing the whole area of AMD therapeutics.

Diagnostics Development

Therapeutic Development

Preclinical Research

Disease Models

Cfh^−/− mice
Transgenic CFH Y402H mice
Transgenic mice overexpressing C3
C3a and C5a receptor^−/− mice
Ccl2^−/− Cx3cr1^−/− double knockout mice
Oxidative damage models
APOEe2/e4 transgenic mice
Vldl receptor^−/− mice
Non-human primate models

Protheragen's preclinical research services focus on developing robust models of AMD, enabling the identification and validation of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Our expertise in genetic engineering and cell culture allows us to create models that closely mimic the pathophysiology of AMD, facilitating the discovery of innovative therapeutics. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

References

Thomas, Catherine J., Rukhsana G. Mirza, and Manjot K. Gill. "Age-related macular degeneration." Medical Clinics 105.3 (2021): 473-491.
Al-Zamil, Waseem M., and Sanaa A. Yassin. "Recent developments in age-related macular degeneration: a review." Clinical interventions in aging (2017): 1313-1330.
Stahl, Andreas. "The diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration." Deutsches Ärzteblatt International 117.29-30 (2020): 513.

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