Potential New Treatment for Diabetic Retinal Disease Shows Promise in Early-Stage Research

Strategic Insights -

Researchers led by Professor Tim Curtis and Dr Josy Augustine from Queen's University Belfast, in collaboration with teams from King's College London and the Medical University of South Carolina, have made a groundbreaking discovery in the fight against diabetic retinal disease. The study, funded by Diabetes UK, found that a new treatment, 2-HDP, has the potential to slow or prevent vision loss in people living with diabetes by targeting early damage to the eye before it becomes irreversible. The research reveals a promising new direction in treating diabetic retinal disease, which is a common cause of vision loss in adults of working age.

Key Takeaways:

  • Diabetic retinal disease often begins without symptoms, with early damage to the retina's nerve cells and blood vessels happening long before people notice any problems with their vision.
  • Current treatments for diabetic retinal disease tend to target the later stages of the disease, when significant and often irreversible damage has already occurred.
  • The new treatment, 2-HDP, works by neutralising harmful molecules that accumulate in the retina during diabetes and contribute to sight loss.
  • The research found that 2-HDP protected the retina's nerve cells and blood vessels, reduced inflammation, and helped preserve visual function in a rat model of diabetes.
  • The team also looked at retinal tissue from people with diabetes and found the presence of the same toxic molecules targeted by 2-HDP, suggesting that the drug may have the potential to target these molecules in people as well.
  • The study also involved the use of computer simulations, which showed that the drug can easily enter cells within the body, raising the possibility of developing tablet-based treatments in the future.
  • The project highlights the importance of early intervention in diabetic retinal disease and the need for new, targeted treatments that can protect vision before lasting damage occurs.

Statistics:

  • The study notes that diabetic retinal disease is a common cause of vision loss in adults of working age.
  • The research found that 2-HDP reduced inflammation and helped preserve visual function in a rat model of diabetes.
  • The team used computer simulations to demonstrate that the drug can easily enter cells within the body.
  • The study is a collaborative effort involving researchers from Queen's University Belfast, King's College London, the Medway School of Pharmacy, and the Medical University of South Carolina.

Sources:

  • "New Potential for Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy," Queen's University Belfast, accessed October 2022.
  • "Protecting Vision in People with Diabetes," Diabetes UK, accessed October 2022.
  • Curtis et al., "Early intervention with a novel drug candidate 2-HDP in a rat model of diabetic retinopathy," Diabetologia, October 2022.