Researchers examine whether pill could be used to treat diabetic retinopathy

A new study published in Science Translational Medicine has examined whether danegaptide could be used to prevent vision loss in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).

As part of research performed in collaboration with Breye Therapeutics, researchers from Trinity College Dublin administered danegaptide to 24 patients with NPDR.

They found that the oral medication was safe and well-tolerated, while more than half (55%) of participants demonstrated early signs of biological activity – such as reduced retinal leakage, decreased central subfield thickness, and resolution of intra-retinal fluid cysts.

Experiments observing pre-clinical models of NPDR found that administering danegaptide reduced blood vessel leakage in the retina, prevented inner blood-retina barrier breakdown, and reversed retinal oedema.

The researchers found that the efficacy of the treatment in pre-clinical models was comparable to injectable therapies for NPDR.

Senior author, Professor Matthew Campbell, chair of neurovascular genetics at Trinity College Dublin, highlighted that managing diabetic eye disease has long been constrained by the invasive nature of existing treatments.

“Our findings demonstrate that a simple oral pill can effectively target and repair the inner blood-retina barrier. This potentially offers a non-invasive, preventive path forward that could protect vision in both eyes simultaneously, long before severe sight loss takes hold,” he said.