Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Drug news: Mimetogen MIM-DE enrolling for Phase III

14 October 2013

Mimetogen Pharmaceuticals has started enrolment of patients in its Phase III clinical trial of MIM-D3 ophthalmic solution to treat patients with dry eye syndrome.
The new drug, which is the first in a class of molecules called TrkA agonists, stimulates the production of mucins that are necessary for lubrication, removal of allergen, pathogens and debris, as well as corneal epithelial healing to reduce ocular surface damage.
Additionally, MIM-D3 will help in improving neural function, which might enhance corneal sensitivity and integrity, compared to the existing dry eye therapies.
Around 400 patients will be randomized to receive 1% MIM-D3 ophthalmic solution or placebo twice daily over an eight week period during the trial which is aimed at further assessing the safety and efficacy of the drug.
The safety and comfort of the drug compared to placebo will also be assessed in the trial, while its primary endpoints are corneal fluorescein staining score in the CAESM and ocular dryness....

Abstract: Contacts and tear lipid layer

Thought this abstract from a literature review is a good reminder of how (ahem) healthy contact lenses are for our eyes:


This review describes the impact of contact lens wear on the tear film lipid layer and how changes in the lipid layer might modulate contact lens-related discomfort. Relevant clinical, functional, and biochemical aspects of the tear film lipid layer are reviewed. Contact lens wear modulates these aspects of the lipid layer, specifically the prelens lipid layer thickness is reduced; tear evaporation rate is increased; tear breakup time is reduced; and the concentration of lipid components such as cholesterol esters, wax esters, and phospholipids varies. The full implications of these changes are unclear; however, there is some evidence that contact lens-related discomfort is associated with a thinner prelens lipid layer, increased lipid degradation, and greater secretory phospholipase A2 activity. Certain fatty acids appear to be associated with maintaining the structural stability of the tear film but their role in retarding tear evaporation and modulating contact lens-related discomfort remains to be elucidated.

Eye Contact Lens. 2013 May;39(3):247-53. doi: 10.1097/ICL.0b013e31828af164.
Rohit A, Willcox M, Stapleton F.
Brien Holden Vision Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia. a.rohit@brienholdenvision.org.au


Abstract: Autologous serum eyedrops - impact on signs & symptoms of DES



Aim:
To assess the impact of autologous serum (AS) eye drops on the ocular surface of patients with bilateral severe dry eye and to draw a comparison between the clinical and laboratory examinations and the degree of subjective symptoms before and after serum treatment.
 Materials and methods:
A three-month prospective study was conducted on 17 patients with severe dry eye. AS eye drops were applied a maximum of 12 times a day together with regular therapy. Dry eye status was evaluated by clinical examination (visual acuity, Schirmer test, tear film breakup time, vital staining, tear film debris and meniscus), conjunctival impression cytology (epithelial and goblet cell density, snake-like chromatin, HLA-DR-positive and apoptotic cells) and subjectively by the patients.
 Results:
The application of AS eye drops led to a significant improvement in the Schirmer test (p<0.01) and tear film debris (p<0.05). The densities of goblet (p<0.0001) and epithelial cells (p<0.05) were significantly increased, indicating a decrease of squamous metaplasia after AS treatment. A significant decrease (p<0.05) was found in the number of apoptotic, HLA-DR-positive and snake-like chromatin cells on the ocular surface. A significant improvement was found in all evaluated subjective symptoms. Altogether, the clinical results were improved in 77%, the laboratory results in 75% and the subjective feelings in 63% of the eyes.
 Conclusions:
We found that three-month AS treatment led especially to the improvement of ocular surface dryness and damage of the epithelium. The improvement of dry eye after AS treatment correlated well with the clinical, laboratory and subjective findings. From the patients' subjective point of view, the positive effect of AS decreased with time, but still persisted up to three months after the end of therapy.
 
Curr Eye Res. 2013 Sep 27. [Epub ahead of print]
Jirsova KBrejchova KKrabcova IFilipec MAl Fakih APalos MVesela V.
Laboratory of the Biology and Pathology of the Eye, Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, General Teaching Hospital and First Faculty of Medicine Charles University in Prague , Czech Republic .