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• CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-27 14:39:30 By Dan G
• Does anyone know if the company that created the CNTF chip, plans to come out with a new model after all the results are in from the clincal study? I was not sure if this was something they could make adjustments too or not.
  
  Dan

• Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-27 20:29:26 By Darran Z
• Well, to answer your question, no, because it's not a chip. It is a delivery mechanism that releases a growth factor. It is nothing to do with chips or any computers. It is not an Aritficial Retina.
  
  But what I think you may be asking is whether the delivery mechanism will be changed or improved. I'm sure there is room for improvement, but I think the only thing that will change would be the growth factor. Since it is a drug, and just as any other drug, they get better over time with new developments.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-28 09:22:29 By Bridget S
• Hey Darran,
  What can you tell me about this Bionic Retina that I am hearing about?
  
  Thanks,
  Bridget P

• Re: Re: Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-28 09:28:31 By Darran Z
• I haven't followed that because that is geared towards those who are totally blind. A person with RP, even severe RP, sees much better than someone with a retinal chip implanted. My guess is that once gene therapy hits and some of the other mechanisms get through the FDA that chip implants may be out of the question. Since Gene therapy and stem cell or cell transplantation would be more realistic than an implant.
  
  I haven't followed through on this as I think the others will come in and win.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-28 14:10:32 By Linda M
• Darren,
  I saw you talked about gene therapy as a possible treatment. I don't know if you've seen this in your local paper but about two months ago I saw in my local paper that the researchers recently tried a phase 1 clincal trial for gene therapy again. The article didn't say what genetic condition they were treating. It did say that everything was fine after the first shot but that after the second shot all the persons major organs shut down and they died. This is the same thing that happened 10 years ago when gene therapy was tried. Because of this happening twice I would imagine that it will be a really long time, if ever, that gene therapy will be available.
  Thank goodness for CNTF.
  

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-28 14:21:46 By Darran Z
• I haven't seen anything on gene therapy in clinical trials though. THey have successfully done so on an animal model for Usher and has been that way for the last several years. There hasn't been any reported deaths from this subject as it is a dog. So I wouldn't entirely rule out gene therapy if they are successfil with a large animal and one doctor is working towards a gene therapy trial for humans for Type 1.
  
  Darran
  

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-30 17:00:52 By Marisa P
• I don't know if we are talking about the same clinical trial but I know a lady who has been accepted to a limited trial of about 8 individuals in the US to receive a shot in the back of the eye. I need to talk to her and see if she can give me more details. I know she has RP and is pretty blind as she relies on Braille to read.
  

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-01-31 17:43:11 By carolina s
• Marisa
  you are most likelly talking about the Centocor study for advansed rp. It is medication inyected to the back of the eye and it is on Phase I.
  saludos
  carolina

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: CNTF Question
• Posted: 2008-02-27 20:58:55 By brian n
• Actually, there is a phase one clinical trial for LCA utilizing gene therapy in progress in London (Mooresfield College) and Philadelphia. You can go to YouTube and they have an interview with Dr. Alli. My doctor here in Chicago believes gene therapy and stem cells are the "leading contenders". He is a very prominant retinal specialist and unfortunately he doesn't think the Neurotech implant will make it owing to eventual lack of funding and the necessity to study this alot longer. Furthermore, he said we will know in about three years if gene therapy will work and he did say there are risks but that we must eventually "roll the dice". He said he hopes he is wrong about the cntf if that is any consolation. Also, it is amazing how many fledling drug co.s are appearing (e.g., fovea, ceragene, vitroretinal). This is extremely encouraging and illustrates the multifaceted approach that years of pre-clincial research is starting to pay off. In addition, a co. Advanced Cell Technologies is close to applying to the FDA to start Phase I studies on its stem cell line supporting their RPE program. Therefore, CNTF is just the tip of the iceberg, The efficacy is there which is luring corporate interest which in turn leads to competition resulting in Treatments!!!!!!!!!!!!