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Retina Specialists of Colorado Contents Services Research

 

Clinical Research for Retinal Diseases: Advancing Treatment and Improving Vision

At the forefront of retinal care, clinical research plays a critical role in developing new treatments and improving outcomes for patients with retinal diseases. Through carefully designed studies, researchers work to identify better therapies, refine existing treatments, and uncover groundbreaking solutions for conditions that impact the retina—the delicate tissue responsible for transmitting visual information to the brain. At Retina Specialists of Colorado, Dr. Ross Chod, Dr. Michael Jansen, and Dr. Zachary Koretz are proud to be actively involved in clinical research for retinal diseases, helping to shape the future of eye care and providing our patients with access to the latest advancements.

What is Clinical Research for Retinal Diseases?

Clinical research for retinal diseases involves carefully controlled studies that investigate the effectiveness and safety of new treatments, procedures, and medications for conditions affecting the retina. These studies provide critical data that help physicians determine which therapies work best for patients with retinal conditions such as:

  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
  • Retinal vein occlusion
  • Macular edema
  • Inherited retinal diseases

Through clinical trials, researchers also explore innovative approaches to retinal surgery, laser treatments, gene therapy, and drug delivery systems. These studies are designed to improve our understanding of retinal diseases and develop treatments that can slow or reverse vision loss.

The Importance of Clinical Research in Retinal Care

Clinical research is essential for advancing the field of retinal care. While many effective treatments for retinal diseases exist, ongoing research is vital for:

  • Improving outcomes: Clinical trials often test newer or more advanced therapies that may offer better vision preservation or enhanced recovery.
  • Exploring cutting-edge treatments: Research provides opportunities to study emerging treatments such as gene therapies, stem cell therapies, and innovative drug delivery systems.
  • Personalized medicine: As research continues, we are learning more about how individual factors (such as genetics or lifestyle) impact treatment success, leading to more personalized, targeted therapies.

Being part of clinical trials means contributing to the development of treatments that can benefit countless others in the future.

How Clinical Trials Work

Participating in a clinical trial for retinal diseases typically involves several key steps:

  1. Eligibility Screening: Before enrolling, potential participants undergo a screening process to ensure they meet the criteria for the study. This may include a comprehensive eye exam and medical history review.

  2. Treatment or Intervention: Participants receive either the experimental treatment or a standard treatment (depending on the trial’s design). Some trials involve comparisons between new therapies and existing options.

  3. Monitoring and Follow-up: Throughout the study, participants are closely monitored by medical professionals. This includes regular eye exams, tests to assess vision changes, and tracking of side effects or complications.

  4. Data Collection and Analysis: The results from participants are collected and analyzed to determine the safety and efficacy of the treatment being studied.

While clinical trials are essential for scientific progress, patient safety is always the top priority. Our clinical research team, led by Dr. Chod, Dr. Jansen, and Dr. Koretz, adheres to the highest ethical standards to ensure that participants are fully informed and supported throughout the trial process.

Benefits of Participating in Clinical Research

Participating in a clinical trial for retinal diseases offers several potential benefits:

  • Access to cutting-edge treatments: Patients may gain access to new therapies that are not yet available to the general public.
  • Close monitoring: During the trial, participants receive careful monitoring and care from our team of retinal specialists, which can lead to more personalized attention.
  • Contributing to medical progress: By participating, patients are helping to advance the science of retinal diseases, potentially benefiting future generations of patients.
  • Potential improvements in vision: Some patients may experience better outcomes than with current standard treatments.

Why Choose Dr. Chod, Dr. Jansen, and Dr. Koretz for Clinical Research?

Dr. Ross Chod, Dr. Michael Jansen, and Dr. Zachary Koretz are leaders in the field of retinal diseases and are deeply committed to advancing clinical research. As experienced retinal specialists, they provide a compassionate, patient-centered approach, ensuring that each individual is carefully evaluated and supported throughout their participation in clinical studies.

Our office participates in a range of clinical trials aimed at treating a variety of retinal conditions, including those that are at the forefront of medical innovation. By working with us, patients can access the most up-to-date treatments and therapies while contributing to the future of retinal care.

Get Involved in Clinical Research

If you are interested in learning more about clinical research opportunities for retinal diseases or want to find out if you qualify for a current study, contact our office today. Our team will be happy to discuss available trials and help you determine if participation is right for you.

Our current studies include:

SOL and SOL-R (Ocular Therapeutix, Phase 3, wet macular degeneration)

Axpaxli™ is a bioresorbable, hydrogel implant incorporating axitinib, a small molecule, multi-target, tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-angiogenic properties. This drug is currently being evaluated for the treatment of wet macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other retinal diseases. The implant is injected into the eye and slowly releases the medication over many months with the goal of reducing the number of treatments a patient may need.

LUGANO (EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Phase 3, wet macular degeneration)

DURAVYU™ is a solid bioerodible insert that delivers vorolanib, a potent, selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor for the treatment of retinal diseases including wet macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The implant is injected into the eye and slowly releases the medication over many months with the goal of reducing the number of treatments a patient may need.

4FRONT (4DMT, Phase 3, wet macular degeneration)

4D-150 is a gene therapy injection that contains a virus that teaches retinal cells to make their own medicine to treat wet macular degeneration. The goal of this treatment is to control wet macular degeneration with a single injection of this medication.

ARTEMIS (Adverum Biosciences, Phase 3, wet macular degeneration)

Ixoberogene soroparvovec (Ixo-vec) is a gene therapy injection for neovascular (“wet”) age-related macular degeneration given as a single injection in the office. The goal of this treatment is to control wet macular degeneration with a single injection of this medication.

ARCHER II (Annexon Biosciences, Phase 3, dry macular degeneration)

ANX007 is an antigen-binding fragment (Fab) antibody designed to inhibit C1q, a key driver of neurodegeneration. In geographic atrophy (GA), C1q binds to photoreceptor synapses early in the disease process, causing inflammation, synapse loss, and neuronal damage that results in vision loss. Intravitreal injection of ANX007 stops C1q and activation of its inflammatory pathway. 

SIENNA (Regeneron, Phase 3, dry macular degeneration)

This study is evaluating whether a medication called pozelimab, which is injected under the skin, can reduce vision loss from Geographic Atrophy (dry macular degeneration).

DIAMOND (Oculis, Phase 3, diabetic macular edema)

OCS-01 is a high concentration dexamethasone eye drop developed to treat swelling in the retina from diabetes. This is a new route of administation that contrasts with currently available therapies that require invasive methods to reach the retina such as intravitreal injections or ocular implants.

BRUNELLO (EyeBio, Phase 2b/3, diabetic macular edema)

Restoret™ (MK-3000, formerly EYE103) tetravalent, tri-specific Wnt antibody designed to address unmet medical need in patients with retinal diseases, including diabetic macular edema (DME) and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD). MK-3000 is administered as an intravitreal injection seeking to eliminate vascular leakage in retinal diseases by agonizing the Wnt pathway with the goal of restoring and maintaining the blood-retinal barrier. Preclinical evidence indicates that agonizing the Wnt pathway in the retina may reduce vascular leakage.

 

Through clinical research, we are committed to not only improving the care we provide today but also shaping the treatments of tomorrow. Your participation could make a difference in advancing vision-saving therapies and bring us closer to new breakthroughs in retinal care.

Reach out to Dr. Chod, Dr. Jansen, and Dr. Koretz to learn more about how you can get involved in clinical research and contribute to the future of retinal disease treatment.