Proven Arthritis Drug Shows Promise versus Dry AMD
Sunday, October 17, 2010 - 21:42
in Health & Medicine
While ophthalmologists can turn to several medications for patients with vision-threatening "wet" age-related macular degeneration (AMD), there are no effective treatments for advanced "dry" AMD, the more common form. Researchers report on a phase-two clinical trial of fenretinide, a synthetic derivative of vitamin A. Risk of developing wet AMD decreased almost two-fold in dry AMD patients who took the medication. Geographic atrophy (GA) lesion growth was also reduced in the fenretinide group. This reduced growth correlated with lowered blood levels.