Gene Signal GS-101 found to inhibit corneal neovascularisation
Gene Signal, a Swiss developer of drugs to manage angiogenesis-based conditions, reports interim results from a phase II study, which suggest that antisense oligonucleotide GS-101 (eye drops) is safe and effective at inhibiting and regressing corneal neovascularisation (abnormal new blood vessel growth).
Gene Signal, a Swiss developer of drugs to manage angiogenesis-based conditions, reports interim results from a phase II study, which suggest that antisense oligonucleotide GS-101 (eye drops) is safe and effective at inhibiting and regressing corneal neovascularisation (abnormal new blood vessel growth).
Neovascularisation in this part of the eye is a major risk in corneal graft rejection, the most common transplantation procedure that annually saves the sight of approximately 46,000 people worldwide.
The findings were published in the September 2009 issue of Ophthalmology by a team led by Dr Claus Cursiefen from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuernberg, in Erlangen, Germany.
Gene Signal, based in Lausanne, is now conducting an international phase III trial with GS-101, which has been granted orphan drug status for this indication in Europe.
"Compared with the placebo group in which 100% of patients suffered from progression of corneal neovascularisation, the optimal GS-101 treatment group showed regression in 86% of patients. We are very encouraged by these results as they represent real progress in the development of GS-101 as a new treatment to combat corneal graft rejection," said Dr Cursiefen.
"GS-101 is the first specific angiogenesis inhibitor that has demonstrated activity at the anterior part of the eye, where numerous diseases associated with pathologic angiogenesis endanger vision."