The French-based Université de Montréal released a new report in the journal Cell Metabolism highlighting the potential for a new treatment to effectively treat diabetic retinopathy.
The drug treatment is, at the moment of this publication, the subject of phase 1 human studies in Canada.
The potential for the experimental treatment to destroy groups of cells known to result in diabetic eye disease became a central focus for researchers.
A molecular target known as BCL-xL is the primary focus of the study, as researchers aimed at identifying defective retinal blood vessels, which points to disease.
The drug treatment utilizes the molecular target to aid in the retina’s self-repairing of the defective vessels, thus improving diabetic eye disease.
“I am proud of our leadership in vision health in both the clinical and scientific communities,” said Sylvain Lemieux of CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, in a news release.
“Once again, the results of the work of researchers at MRH-RC are very promising for the quality of life of people with ocular diseases.”
