Clinical Research Directory

Rod and Cone Mediated Function in Retinal Disease

Background: Retinal diseases cause the loss of rod and cone photoreceptors. Symptoms include vision loss and night blindness. Researchers want to learn about rod and cone function in healthy people and people with retinal disease. They want to know if how well a person sees in the dark can test the severity of retinal disease. Objectives: To find out if how well a person sees in the dark can test the severity of retinal disease. To find out if this can help detect retinal disease and track its changes. Eligibility: People ages 5 and older with: Retinal disease OR 20/20 vision or better with or without correction in at least one eye Design: Participants will be screened with medical and eye history and eye exam. Those with retinal disease will also have: Eye imaging: Drops dilate the eye and pictures are taken of it. Visual field testing: Participants look into a bowl and press a button when they see light. Electroretinogram (ERG): An electrode is taped to the forehead. Participants sit in the dark with their eyes patched for 30 minutes. Then they get numbing drops and contact lenses. Participants watch lights while retina signals are recorded. Visit 1 will be 3-8 hours. Participants will have up to 6 more visits over 6-12 months. Visits include: Eye exam and imaging Time course of dark adaptation: Participants view a background light for 5 minutes then push a button when they see colored light. Dark adapted sensitivity: Participants sit in the dark for 45 minutes. They push a button when they see colored light. For participants with retinal disease, ERG and visual field testing

Cell Collection to Study Eye Diseases

Background: \- Best Vitelliform Dystrophy (Best disease), Late-Onset Retinal Degeneration (L-ORD), and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) all affect the retina, the light sensing area at the back of the eye. Doctors cannot safely obtain retinal cells to study these diseases. However, cells collected from hair follicles, skin, saliva, urine, and blood can be used for research. Researchers want to collect cells from people with Best disease, L-ORD, and AMD, and compare their cells with those of healthy volunteers. Objectives: \- To collect hair, skin, saliva, urine, and/or blood samples to study three eye diseases that affect the retina: Best disease, L-ORD, and AMD. Eligibility: * Individuals affected with ocular condition is one year of age or older. * Individuals affected with Best disease, L-ORD, or AMD is 18 years of age or older. * Unaffected individuals are seven years of age or older. Design: * The study requires one visit to the National Eye Institute. * Participants will be screened with a medical and eye disease history. They may also have an eye exam. * Participants will provide a hair sample, saliva sample, urine sample, blood sample, and/or a skin biopsy. The hair will be collected from the back of the head, and the skin will be collected from the inside of the upper arm.

Inherited Retinal Degenerative Disease Registry

The My Retina Tracker® Registry is sponsored by the Foundation Fighting Blindness and is for people affected by one of the rare inherited retinal degenerative diseases studied by the Foundation. It is a patient-initiated registry accessible via a secure on-line portal at www.MyRetinaTracker.org. Affected individuals who register are guided to create a profile that captures their perspective on their retinal disease and its progress; family history; genetic testing results; preventive measures; general health and interest in participation in research studies. The participants may also choose to ask their clinician to add clinical measurements and results at each clinical visit. Participants are urged to update the information regularly to create longitudinal records of their disease, from their own perspective, and their clinical progress. The overall goals of the Registry are: to better understand the diversity within the inherited retinal degenerative diseases; to understand the prevalence of the different diseases and gene variants; to assist in the establishment of genotype-phenotype relationships; to help understand the natural history of the diseases; to help accelerate research and development of clinical trials for treatments; and to provide a tool to investigators that can assist with recruitment for research studies and clinical trials.

A Phase 1/2 Study in Healthy Volunteers and Participants With Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa (RHO-adRP)

This integrated Ph1/2 clinical study is to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD) and efficacy of OCT-980 in healthy volunteers and participants with RHO-adRP.

Promising ROd-cone DYstrophy Gene therapY

This is a two-step, multicenter, Phase I/II study including an open-label dose-escalation phase (Step 1) and a three-arm, controlled, double-masked, randomized extension phase (Step 2), in subjects with advanced RCD due to a mutation in the RHO, PDE6A, or PDE6B gene (Step 1), or in any RCD-causative gene (Step 2).

Adaptive Optics Imaging of Outer Retinal Diseases

The objective of the study is to collect adaptive optics (AO) retinal images from human subjects with outer retinal diseases (diseases of the outer retina including photoreceptor, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), basement membrane or choroidal pathologies) to develop new diagnostic methods, biomarkers, and clinical endpoints.

A Study of AAV5-hRKp.RPGR for the Treatment of Japanese Participants With X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa

The purpose of the study is to assess the safety and tolerability of bilateral subretinal delivery of adeno-associated virus vector with a serotype 5 capsid human rhodopsin kinase promoter. retinitis pigmentosa guanosine triphosphatase regulator (AAV5-hRKp.RPGR).

Natural History Study in Patients With PDE6A-, PDE6B- and RHO-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa

The aim of the study is to apply a novel clinical investigation protocol in patients with Phosphodiesterase 6A (PDE6A), PDE6B and Rhodopsin (RHO)-based retinitis pigmentosa. This novel, multimodal clinical examination protocol describes and correlates structural, functional and metabolic aspects during natural disease development. Test-retest variability of new measurements as well as correlations of the structural, functional, and metabolic changes will be defined to be able to define well-suited readouts for safety and efficacy of future treatment developments before they reach the clinical phase.

High Resolution Retinal Imaging

Studying the morphology and function of the normal and diseased retina in vivo is needed for advancing the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of retinal disease. This protocol uses an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) to image the normal and diseased retina with individual cellular resolution non-invasively. The primary objective of this study is to obtain and analyze high-resolution images of the retina, in particular by imaging the cone photoreceptor mosaic, the retinal vasculature and other retinal layers. The study design will involve case-control studies, where cases are followed over time. Subjects age 7 and older may be invited to participate. The main research procedure involves retinal imaging with the AOSLO. The primary endpoint is the observation of differences in retinal images between subjects with and without retinal diseases. These changes will be quantified by examining the cell density, size, spacing and regularity of the cone photoreceptor mosaic, as well as examining the differences between other retinal layers.

Oral N-acetylcysteine for Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal degeneration caused by one of several mistakes in the genetic code. Such mistakes are called mutations. The mutations cause degeneration of rod photoreceptors which are responsible for vision in dim illumination resulting in night blindness. After rod photoreceptors are eliminated, gradual degeneration of cone photoreceptors occurs resulting in gradual constriction of side vision that eventually causes tunnel vision. Oxidative stress contributes to cone degeneration. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduces oxidative stress and in animal models of RP it slowed cone degeneration. In a phase I clinical trial in patients with RP, NAC taken by month for 6 months caused some small improvements in two different vision tests suggesting that long-term administration of NAC might slow cone degeneration in RP. NAC Attack is a clinical trial being conducted at many institutions in the US, Canada, and Europe designed to determine if taking NAC for several years provides benefit in patients with RP.

A Phase I/II Dose-escalating Study of the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of KIO-301 Administered Intravitreally to Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa and Choroideremia (ABACUS)

A phase I/II dose-escalating study of the safety, tolerability and efficacy of KIO-301 administered intravitreally to patients with retinitis pigmentosa and choroideremia (ABACUS).

A Phase II Study of Intravitreal KIO-301 in Patients With Late-stage Retinitis Pigmentosa

The goal of the study is to investigate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of up to 3 doses of KIO-301 administered by intravitreal (IVT) injection bilaterally every 6 weeks in patients with late-stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Late-stage RP patients will include those patients with No Light Perception (NLP), or Low Vision (LV).

Natural History Study of Patients With EYS-Associated RP

This natural history study of patients with EYS mutations from Russia and former CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) territories will accelerate the development of outcome measures for clinical trials. Sensitive, reliable outcome measures of retinal degeneration will greatly facilitate development of treatments for retinitis pigmentosa due to EYS mutations. This approach helps to develop experimental treatment protocol, and assessing its effectiveness. The goals and expected impact of this natural history study are to: 1. Describe the natural history of retinal degeneration in patients with biallelic mutations in EYS gene in Russia and former CIS territories. 2. Identify sensitive structural and functional outcome measures to use for future multicenter clinical trials in EYS-related retinal degeneration in Russia and former CIS territories. 3. Identify well-defined subpopulations for future clinical trials of investigative treatments for EYS-related retinal degeneration in Russia and former CIS territories.

A Study to Investigate the Safety of DSP-3077 After a Unilateral Eye Injection in Male and Female Participants 18 Years of Age or Older With Retinitis Pigmentosa

The Goal of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and clinical responses following single dose of DSP-3077. Study enrolls both male and female patients in 3 cohorts with each cohort defined by visual acuity (VA) criteria and dose level of DSP-3077. Each cohort will include 4 participants.

Universal Rare Gene Study: A Registry and Natural History Study of Retinal Dystrophies Associated With Rare Disease-Causing Genetic Variants

This is an international, multicenter study with two components: Registry * A standardized genetic screening and a prospective, standardized, cross-sectional clinical data collection * Enrollment is open to all genes on the RD Rare Gene List Natural History Study * A prospective, standardized, longitudinal Natural History Study * Enrollment opens gene-by-gene, based on funding and within-gene Registry enrollment The study objectives are as follows. Registry Objectives 1. Genotype Characterization 2. Cross-Sectional Phenotype Characterization (within gene) 3. Establish a Link to My Retina Tracker Registry (MRTR) 4. Ancillary Exploratory Studies - Pooling of Genes Natural History Study Objectives 1. Natural History (within gene) 2. Structure-Function Relationship (within gene) 3. Risk Factors for Progression (within gene) 4. Ancillary Exploratory Studies - Pooling of Genes

Natural History of PRPF31 Mutation-Associated Retinal Dystrophy

The purpose of this study is to characterize the natural history through temporal systemic evaluation of subjects identified with PRPF31 mutation-associated retinal dystrophy, also called retinitis pigmentosa type 11, or RP11. Assessments will be completed to measure and evaluate structural and functional visual changes including those impacting patient quality of life associated with this inherited retinal condition and observing how these changes evolve over time.

Safety of a Single, Intravitreal Injection of 6.0M jCell (Famzeretcel) in Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

This study evaluates the safety of a single injection of jCell (famzeretcel) comprising 6.0 million (6.0M) retinal progenitor cells over a six-month study period in a cohort of adult subjects with RP. Additionally, changes in visual function will be evaluated at six months between the active treatment group (6.0M jCell) compared to sham-treated controls.

9-cis Beta-Carotene-Rich Extract of Dunaliella Alga in Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a natural supplement called 9-cis beta-carotene (derived from the Dunaliella alga) can improve vision and retinal function in adults with Retinitis Pigmentosa. The study will also monitor the safety of the food supplement and how it affects levels of Vitamin A-related proteins in the blood. The main questions the study aims to answer are: (1) Does taking the supplement improve light sensitivity in the retina (measured by microperimetry)? (2) Does the supplement improve electrical responses in the eye (ERG) or other visual functions like contrast and color vision? (3) How do blood levels of beta-carotene and Vitamin A change during treatment? Researchers will use a crossover design. This means every participant will receive both the active supplement and a placebo (a "dummy" pill with corn oil) at different times during the study to compare the results. Participants will take two soft-gel capsules twice a day for 3 months, undergo a 6-month "washout" period where no study capsules are taken.Then they will take the opposite capsules (either the supplement or the placebo) for another 3 months. The participants will visit the clinic 4 times over the course of 12 months for eye exams, eye imaging (like OCT), and blood tests. Participants will also receive follow-up phone calls every 6 weeks to check on their progress and health.

Safety and Efficacy Study of Novel Gene Therapy ZM-02 for Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients

This is zM-02's safety, tOlerability, and efficacy in retinitis pigmentOsa first-in-humaN study (MOON). This trial is meant to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ZM-02 in Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients. Unilateral intravitreal injections (IVT) will be given into the subject's Study Eye.

Development and Evaluation of Functional Visual Field and Navigation Endpoints in Moderate to Profound Inherited Retinal Disease (DEFINE-IRD)

The Vision Research and Assessment Institute (VRAI) was established with the purpose of serving as a testing facility for efficacy endpoints for patients with Low Vision. The mission of the VRAI is to enable the highest quality, standardized efficacy testing of patients with visual impairment. The VRAI facilitates the development and refinement of existing endpoints specifically for testing patients with Low Vision.

A Phase 3 Study Of OCU400 Gene Therapy for the Treatment Of Retinitis Pigmentosa

This is a Phase 3 study to Assess the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of OCU400 in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) associated with RHO mutations and patients with any other RP associated mutation with a clinical phenotype of RP. This is a multicenter, assessor blinded and randomized study which will enroll 140 subjects. Study has completed enrollment of all 140 subjects.

Rate of Progression in EYS Related Retinal Degeneration

The overall goal of this project funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness is to characterize the natural history of disease progression in patients with EYS mutations in order to accelerate the development of outcome measures for clinical trials.

A Prospective, Observational Study in Adults With Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

The natural history in individuals with severe retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is variable and there remains an unmet need to better understand disease progression in this population. The goal of this study is to determine which visual assessments individuals with RP and low visual acuity can reliably perform and to evaluate the annual decline of visual function in severe RP.

Electro-acupuncture and Transcorneal Electrical Stimulation (TES) for Retinitis Pigmentosa

Measures of vision in RP patients receiving promising therapy using transcorneal electrical stimulation.