Researchers from Wayne State University, the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medicine have discovered a way to treat macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa by attaching steroids to dendrimer nanoparticles and delivering the drug directly to the retina, according to a news release.
Dendrimers are described as "tree-like, non-cytotoxic polymeric drug delivery vehicles" and were used to deliver steroid drugs to activated microglial cells, the immune cells in charge of removing dead and dying material in the eye. The dendrimers slowly released steroids, and provided neuroprotection for at least a month in clinical trials using rats. The steroids only targeted the activated microglia that cause damage associated with neuroinflammation, a leading cause of both macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.
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Dendrimers are described as "tree-like, non-cytotoxic polymeric drug delivery vehicles" and were used to deliver steroid drugs to activated microglial cells, the immune cells in charge of removing dead and dying material in the eye. The dendrimers slowly released steroids, and provided neuroprotection for at least a month in clinical trials using rats. The steroids only targeted the activated microglia that cause damage associated with neuroinflammation, a leading cause of both macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.
Related Articles on Ophthalmology:
Photorefractive Keratectomy Gaining Popularity Over LASIK
Premium IOLs a Challenge to Adopt Into Cataract Practice
ASC Specialty to Watch: Ophthalmology in 2012