Wolfe Eye Clinic has said its retina disease specialist Dr Jared Nielsen was recently the third surgeon in the United States and first in the Midwest to perform surgery in a clinic trial evaluating an investigational gene therapy called GT005 for geographic atrophy secondary to dry age-related macular degeneration.
Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration that can result in the progressive and irreversible loss of retina, which can lead to loss of visual function over time. There are an estimated 1.4 million Americans affected by GA and there are currently no FDA-approved medicines for this disease.
Dr Nielsen said, “Geographic atrophy is a life-altering diagnosis, in large part because there are currently no treatments available and it results in permanent loss of vision.”
He added: “We are excited to participate in this study and look forward to advancing this important research with the goal of providing better care for our patients and those around the world.”
Know Dr Nielsen and GT005
Dr Nielsen is an investigator in a study called FOCUS [NCT03846193], which is an open-label Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating the safety and dose response of three doses of GT005 given as a single subretinal injection. The trial is evaluating adults aged 55 and older who have been diagnosed with GA secondary to dry AMD.
GT005 is an investigational gene therapy for geographic atrophy that uses a genetically modified virus to make the cells in the eye produce more of a type of protein called Complement Factor I (CFI). Low levels of CFI are potentially linked with AMD and GA. By raising the levels of CFI in the eye, it may be possible to slow down the progression of AMD and GA, and so GT005 may help slow down the disease.
GT005 has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for any use and its efficacy and safety profile have not been established. GT005 is being developed by Gyroscope Therapeutics Limited, a clinical-stage retinal gene therapy company.
(With inputs from The OnLook News Research Bureau)
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