A Study of Encapsulated Cell Technology (ECT) Implant for Patients With Late Stage Retinitis Pigmentosa

Summary

The purpose of this study is to look at the safety and effectiveness of CNTF implants on vision in persons with retinitis pigmentosa, Usher type II \& III, and Choroideremia. This research is being done because there are no effective therapies for people with these retinal degenerations. They are genetic disorders that affect our ability to see at night, and later cause tunnel vision and loss of central vision. Retinal degenerations affect the retina, a light sensitive layer of cells in the back of the eye. Slowly over time, these cells die and cause permanent loss of vision. The implant is a small capsule that contains human retinal pigment epithelium cells. These cells have been given the ability to make CNTF and release it through the capsule membrane into the surrounding fluid. This study will look at the effect of the implant on vision loss by retinitis pigmentosa, Usher type II \& III, and Choroideremia. In this study, two different CNTF dose levels will be used: a high dose and a low dose in one eye, as well as a sham (or placebo) surgery in the other eye.

Timeline

Start

2007-01-08

Primary completion

2009-05-26

Completion

2009-05-26

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper Neither study showed therapeutic benefit in the primary outcome variable. PMID 23668681 ↗

Publications

• Birch DG, Weleber RG, Duncan JL, Jaffe GJ, Tao W; Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Retinitis Pigmentosa Study Groups. Randomized trial of ciliary neurotrophic factor delivered by encapsulated cell intraocular implants for retinitis pigmentosa. Am J Ophthalmol. 2013 Aug;156(2):283-292.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2013.03.021. Epub 2013 May 10.
• Kauper K, McGovern C, Sherman S, Heatherton P, Rapoza R, Stabila P, Dean B, Lee A, Borges S, Bouchard B, Tao W. Two-year intraocular delivery of ciliary neurotrophic factor by encapsulated cell technology implants in patients with chronic retinal degenerative diseases. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Nov 1;53(12):7484-91. doi: 10.1167/iovs.12-9970.

Drugs

Indications