Research tests apace on restoring eyesight

Hyderabad: A revolutionary approach to treating chemical burns in the eye is beginning clinical trials. The first-in-man trial is in collaboration with L V Prasad Eye Institute, India who will examine how effective the enzyme is at softening the underlying tissue in the eye, allowing the patients' own stem cells to repair the damage and restore the patient's sight.

Involving 30 patients for the trial the research is funded by the Ulverscroft Foundation an UK based charity firm that supports organizations helping the visually impaired.

The research is said to be carried out in collaboration with Dr Sayan Basu (Clinician) and Dr Vivek Singh (Scientist) at the renowned L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, India. The clinical trial follows research by a team from Newcastle University, UK, who earlier this year showed that applying collagenase to the cornea softens the underlying tissue, allowing the stem cells situated there to repair any damage.

Dr Sayan Basu, Director for the Centre for Ocular Regeneration, L V Prasad Eye Institute said, "Suitable participants for the trial will be selected by an assessment team at the L V Prasad Eye Institute after rigorous medical and ethical approval, and results from the trial are expected in 2021."

Dr Vivek Singh, Lead Scientist at L V Prasad Eye Institute said, "If the trial is successful, it can save time and money in treating alkali burn patients, without the need for long term follow-up and the use of limbal transplantation. Recovery too can be faster for the patient."

The tissue-softening enzyme collagenase is said to prevent loss of corneal stem cells following an injury and could prevent patients from losing their sight. It offers hope to almost 500,000 people a year who lose their sight due to chemical burns including acid attacks.

Professor CheConnon, the director of the study and leader of the Tissue Engineering Lab at Newcastle University said, "The simplicity and relative low cost of this therapy compared to existing approaches in which stem cells have to be transplanted is a game-changer. It greatly expands the number of potential patients being treated for corneal burns across the world, and may well, have applications in other diseases."