Active clinical trials for "Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy"

The hypothesis of this study is to determine if there is a benefit afforded by the use of systemic Sildenafil to patients with choroidal and retinal degenerations and dystrophies, such as vitelliform degeneration, dry and reticular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as well as patients with hereditary and acquired retinal dystrophies such as retinitis pigmentosa and central serous retinopathy.

The purpose of this study is to establish the natural history of of participants with BESTROPHIN 1 Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy. The blinding disorder Best Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy (VMD) is caused by any one of more than 250 different mutations in the BEST1 gene. As new treatments are developed, a clear understanding of the natural history of disease progression of BEST1 VMD is necessary. The goals of this natural history study are to: Report the natural history of retinal degeneration in participants with a clinical diagnosis of VMD with molecular confirmation of a pathogenic BEST1 mutation(s). Identify sensitive structural and functional outcome measures to use for future multicenter clinical trials for the treatment of BESTROPHIN 1 VMD. Compare progression of the identified structural and functional measures between the two eyes to judge the suitability of the second untreated eye as a control for a future clinical trial involving unilateral treatment Identify well-defined patient populations for future clinical trials of investigative treatments for BEST1 VMD.

Rare ocular diseases (ROD) are a heterogeneous group of ocular diseases that affect very few people and, generally, for which no tretament is available. An important subgroup of these diseases are inherited retinal degenerations. In this study we focus on understanding the natural history of different ROD that affect the posterior segment.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of intravitreal injections of ranibizumab in the treatment of AMD variants and other choroidal neovascularization (CNV) related conditions (Coats' disease, idiopathic perifoveal telangiectasia, retinal angiomatous proliferation, polypoidal vasculopathy, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, pathological myopia, multi-focal choroiditis, rubeosis iridis) using the incidence and severity of adverse events. Limited forms of treatment are available that limit the loss of visual acuity. However, the patients may not have any substantial improvement in acuity or function. Therefore there remains a significant unmet need for therapeutic options managing the neovascularization and its consequences. Lucentis (ranibizumab) injection will be considered as an attempt to control the growth of the abnormal vessels because of evidence suggesting that angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), play a role in the pathogenesis of neovascular non-AMD conditions. The rationale for the study design is as follows: A 0.5 mg dose of Lucentis (ranibizumab), a commercially available preparation that is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and labeled for intravitreal injection use for neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration will be used. In AMD variants and other CNV related conditions, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a role in the pathogenesis as in neovascular AMD. Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab delivers maximal concentration of the antibody fragment to the vitreous cavity with minimal systemic exposure. The dosing schedule, based on considerations of the half-life and the clinical response in patients with neovascularization suggests that a 1-month interval is optimal.

Background: Autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB) is one of 5 blinding eye diseases caused by mutations in the gene BEST1. These diseases, collectively termed "bestrophinopathies" include ARB, Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (BVMD), adult-onset vitelliform dystrophy (AVMD), autosomal dominant vitreoretinalchoroidopathy (ADVIRC) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) . Objective: To collect DNA/RNA and skin samples from individuals with ARB or other diseases due to mutations in the gene BEST1. These models will be used to identify and test therapeutic approaches to treating these diseases. Design: Study involves a one time donation of a skin punch biopsy and whole blood. Once the skin biopsy is obtained, skin fibroblasts will be isolated, which will be reprogrammed into iPSCs. RPE cells will be derived from the iPSCs