IRAK-M expression in human RPE and retina. Credit: Liu et al./ Scientific translational medicine
Cirrus Therapeutics, the University of Bristol and London’s Global University Institute of Ophthalmology have discovered a new treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in older adults.
It’s on the cover of the magazine Scientific translational medicinethis research shows that stimulating a specific protein, IRAK-M, in retinal cells could provide a new and highly effective therapy for AMD.
AMD can seriously affect a person’s vision. Patients suffering from AMD often begin with blurred vision or seeing a black dot in their central vision, which can eventually progress to the point where there is no usable central vision. Currently, AMD affects approximately 200 million people worldwide, a number expected to rise to 288 million by 2040 due to an aging population. The exact cause of AMD is complex and is thought to involve a combination of aging, environmental and lifestyle factors.
The team found that increasing IRAK-M levels in retinal cells can significantly protect against retinal degeneration.
“This discovery represents the first path-agnostic approach to AMD, providing a comprehensive treatment option for the millions of people who suffer from this debilitating condition,” said Dr. Andrew Dick, Head of the Ophthalmology Academic Unit at the University of Bristol. Director of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and co-founder and chief scientific advisor of Cirrus Therapeutics.
Dr. Jian Liu, first author and senior research scientist at the University of Bristol’s Ophthalmology Academic Unit, added: “As age is a primary risk factor for AMD, the gradual decline in IRAK-M levels with age, which further decreases in AMD, is an important way to identify potential markers of early AMD progression and ultimately a new avenue of treatment.”
This discovery will build on and improve current treatments for AMD, which target distinct pathophysiological pathways.
“Our new approach not only targets the many pathways involved in the treatment of AMD, but also provides the most compelling and evidence-based strategy currently available,” said Dr. Ying Kai Chan, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus Therapeutics.
Cirrus Therapeutics recently spun out of the University of Bristol to develop therapies related to this discovery.
More information:
Jian Liu et al., Supplementing IRAK-M expression in retinal pigment epithelium attenuates outer retinal degeneration, Scientific translational medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi4125. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adi4125
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