BACKGROUND: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Sirolimus has been shown to inhibit the production, signaling, and activity of many growth factors relevant to the development of diabetic retinopathy. This phase I/II study assesses the safety of multiple subconjunctival sirolimus injections for the treatment of DME, with some limited efficacy data. METHODS: In this phase I/II prospective, open-label pilot study, five adult participants with diabetic macular edema involving the center of the fovea and best-corrected ETDRS visual acuity score of ≤74 letters (20/32 or worse) received 20 μl (440 μg) of subconjunctival sirolimus at baseline, month 2 and every 2 months thereafter, unless there was resolution of either retinal thickening on OCT or leakage on fluorescein angiography. Main outcome measures included best-corrected visual acuity and central retinal thickness on OCT at 6 months and 1 year, as well as safety outcomes. RESULTS: Repeated subconjunctival sirolimus injections were well-tolerated, with no significant drug-related adverse events. There was no consistent treatment effect related to sirolimus; one participant experienced a 2-line improvement in visual acuity and 2 log unit decrease in retinal thickness at 6 months and 1 year, two remained essentially stable, one had stable visual acuity but improvement of central retinal thickness of 1 and 3 log units at 6 months and 1 year respectively, and one had a 2-line worsening of visual acuity and a 1 log unit increase in retinal thickness at 6 months and 1 year. Results in the fellow eyes with diabetic macular edema, not treated with sirolimus, were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Subconjunctival sirolimus appears safe to use in patients with DME. Assessment of possible treatment benefit will require a randomized trial.
BACKGROUND:Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Sirolimus has been shown to inhibit the production, signaling, and activity of many growth factors relevant to the development of diabetic retinopathy. This phase I/II study assesses the safety of multiple subconjunctival sirolimus injections for the treatment of DME, with some limited efficacy data. METHODS: In this phase I/II prospective, open-label pilot study, five adult participants with diabetic macular edema involving the center of the fovea and best-corrected ETDRS visual acuity score of ≤74 letters (20/32 or worse) received 20 μl (440 μg) of subconjunctival sirolimus at baseline, month 2 and every 2 months thereafter, unless there was resolution of either retinal thickening on OCT or leakage on fluorescein angiography. Main outcome measures included best-corrected visual acuity and central retinal thickness on OCT at 6 months and 1 year, as well as safety outcomes. RESULTS: Repeated subconjunctival sirolimus injections were well-tolerated, with no significant drug-related adverse events. There was no consistent treatment effect related to sirolimus; one participant experienced a 2-line improvement in visual acuity and 2 log unit decrease in retinal thickness at 6 months and 1 year, two remained essentially stable, one had stable visual acuity but improvement of central retinal thickness of 1 and 3 log units at 6 months and 1 year respectively, and one had a 2-line worsening of visual acuity and a 1 log unit increase in retinal thickness at 6 months and 1 year. Results in the fellow eyes with diabetic macular edema, not treated with sirolimus, were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Subconjunctival sirolimus appears safe to use in patients with DME. Assessment of possible treatment benefit will require a randomized trial.
Authors: Marie-Claude Morice; Patrick W Serruys; J Eduardo Sousa; Jean Fajadet; Ernesto Ban Hayashi; Marco Perin; Antonio Colombo; G Schuler; Paul Barragan; Giulio Guagliumi; Ferenc Molnàr; Robert Falotico Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2002-06-06 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Philip A Petrou; Denise Cunningham; Katherine Shimel; Molly Harrington; Keri Hammel; Catherine A Cukras; Frederick L Ferris; Emily Y Chew; Wai T Wong Journal: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Date: 2014-12-18 Impact factor: 4.799
Authors: Mohamed A Ibrahim; Yasir J Sepah; Anthony Watters; Millena Bittencourt; Erin M Vigil; Diana V Do; Quan Dong Nguyen Journal: Transl Vis Sci Technol Date: 2015-03-10 Impact factor: 3.283
Authors: Quan Dong Nguyen; Mohamed A Ibrahim; Anthony Watters; Millena Bittencourt; Jithin Yohannan; Yasir J Sepah; James P Dunn; Joel Naor; Naveed Shams; Ovais Shaikh; Henry Alexander Leder; Diana V Do Journal: J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect Date: 2013-02-11