Closely-held Lutronic Vision retained professor Robyn Guymer, a world-renowned age-related macular degeneration (AMD) expert and key opinion leader, to serve as the principal investigator for its planned pilot clinical study.
The study will evaluate Lutronic’s R:GEN laser for the treatment of the earlier stages of AMD, for which there are currently no effective treatment options. R:GEN is a laser that targets retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells. In AMD, RPE cells’ normal ability to clear debris is impaired, causing the accumulation of cellular waste material that eventually results in vision loss. R:GEN transfers energy to the established retinal treatment area to potentially improve the function of these cells.
The pilot clinical study, sponsored by Lutronic, will be conducted at Dr. Guymer’s clinical research facility in Melbourne, Australia and is anticipated to begin in the second half of 2019.
AMD, an age-related ocular condition that affects people 50 years and older, is the third leading cause of blindness worldwide and the primary leading cause of vision loss in the western world. In the U.S., some 11 million individuals have some form of AMD, where due to a rise in the aging population, the prevalence is expected to double by 2050.
