Neurotech Begins Phase II/III Human Studies of Treatment for Retinitis Pigmentosa

April 18, 2007 - Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has begun enrollment of participants in two multicenter Phase II/III human clinical trials for an innovative treatment to slow the progression of a group of blinding diseases known as retinitis pigmentosa. Both studies are partially funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

April 18, 2007 - Neurotech's treatment involves implantation of a tiny device known as Encapsulated Cell Technology (ECT) into the eye. Less than a quarter-of-an-inch long, the ECT implant contains retinal cells which provide long-term, sustained delivery of a vision-saving protein known as ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF).

In preclinical studies supported by the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the treatment exhibited a safe and effective product profile. The therapy also performed well in a Phase I human study conducted at the National Eye Institute.

"Neurotech's treatment holds much promise for minimizing vision loss for people affected by many forms of retinitis pigmentosa," says Stephen Rose, Ph.D., Chief Research Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness. "Furthermore, it shows excellent potential for saving vision in people affected by other retinal degenerative diseases such as dry age-related macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and choroideremia."

The two Phase II/III studies for retinitis pigmentosa are being conducted at 14 sites throughout the United States. One trial is evaluating participants with an earlier stage of disease. The other study is evaluating participants with more advanced disease. Visit the Foundation's clinical trials Web page to learn more about study enrollment.

"We are very enthusiastic about Neurotech's solution, because it has performed so well in initial studies," says Bill Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness. "Our partnership with Neurotech over the last six years has been very successful," adds Schmidt, "The Foundation is strongly committed to collaborations like these to move promising treatments out of the laboratory and into human clinical trials."

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited eye diseases that lead to significant vision loss or blindness. RP causes the degeneration and death of retinal cells known as photoreceptors, which capture and process images and light enabling us to see.