Neuroprotective Therapy (NP)

Delivering a protein or drug to the eye that prevents the photoreceptors and/or RPE cells from dying, thus saving vision.

Neuroprotective therapy (NP) is one of the Foundation's seven research priority areas. Scientists and clinicians are testing delivery of survival proteins or drugs to protect the photoreceptors and/or RPE cells from dying (or preventing loss of light-detection capability). This is an especially important priority area that is sometimes called a "cross-cutting advance," since neuroprotective survival proteins or drugs could potentially treat many different retinal degenerative diseases.