Week in review: CRISPR milestone, color contacts, biologic drops

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

In a historic first, researchers have injected a CRISPR treatment directly into the eye of a patient with Leber congenital amaurosis 10. The 1-hour procedure involved administering 3 droplets containing (harmless) viruses carrying CRISPR instructions into tiny incisions in the back of the eye. The team at Casey Eye Institute is proceeding cautiously, and starting with the lowest dose to treat 1 eye in the oldest patients. The study, which began enrollment in January, will eventually expand to test 3 treatment doses in 18 patients. "This is the first time that's being tried in a human being,” NIH director Francis Collins, MD, PhD, told NPR. “And it gives us hope that we could extend that to lots of other diseases—if it works and if it's safe." Editas Medicine, NPR

New findings suggest convenient and customizable contacts for red-green color blindness may be possible. Scientists designed corrective lenses for this form of deuteranomaly by incorporating metasurfaces—artificial ultrathin films with specific optical properties—into off-the-shelf contacts lenses. In simulations of color perception, the lenses were able to restore lost color contrast and improve color perception up to a factor of 10. Although clinical testing is still necessary, researchers believe manufacturers could embed the metasurface into contacts during fabrication to manage color vision deficiency and other conditions. The Optical Society
Image credit: Sharon Karepov, Tel Aviv University

A biologic eye drop for ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGvHD) has won orphan drug status from the FDA. The allogenic fibrinogen-depleted human platelet lysate treatment is currently being evaluated in patients with severe dry eye from oGvHD-related dry eye. The phase 1/2 trial is expected to enroll 60 patients across 6 U.S. centers. Cambium Medical Technologies

Preclinical data suggest that a novel sustained-delivery glaucoma treatment could eliminate the issue of patient compliance, according data presented by Greybug Vision at the American Glaucoma Society meeting . A single injection of GB-401, a depot formulation of a proprietary beta-adrenergic antagonist prodrug, achieved sustained ocular drug levels and reduced IOP in experimental animal models. Encouraged by the results, the company hopes to test GB-401 in future phase 1/2a first-in-human trials. Greybug Vision