Two New Research Collaborations to Evaluate Potential Retinal Treatments

The National Neurovision Research Institute (NNRI), the clinical support organization of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, recently established research collaborations with two pharmaceutical companies to evaluate potential treatments for retinal degenerative diseases.

Adeona Pharmaceuticals partnership
NNRI is partnering with Adeona Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to investigate flupirtine for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The drug will be tested in several animal models of retinal degenerative disease at NNRI-supported Preclinical Assessment Centers. While flupirtine has been approved in Europe since 1984 as a treatment for pain associated with a variety of conditions and diseases, experts believe it may also be neuroprotective, helping to minimize the loss of photoreceptors from diseases like RP.

“We are enthusiastic about this collaboration, because preliminary studies have shown that flupirtine shows promise for slowing vision loss from RP,” says Stephen Rose, Ph.D., chief research officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness. “These studies in animal models will give us a better understanding of the drug’s potential in people with RP.”

Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals partnership
NNRI is also supporting preclinical investigations of resolvins at NNRI-supported Preclinical Assessment Centers. Under development by Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals, resolvins are a family of substances that have demonstrated the ability to prevent cell death and promote healing of damaged tissue. Resolvyx’s agents show potential for treating a range of retinal degenerative diseases including retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.

"We are extremely encouraged by the potential for resolvins to treat a number of serious eye diseases, as we have demonstrated that resolvins have a unique ability to naturally inhibit key inflammatory processes, preserve the integrity of eye tissue and promote eye tissue repair," said Per Gjorstrup, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer of Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals. "We look forward to working with NNRI to continue to advance our promising ocular compounds to address serious eye diseases for which there are currently no effective treatment options."

For more information about NNRI, visit www.NNRI.info.