Innovative Therapies for Macular Degeneration - Preserving Vision, Reducing Injections
Matthew Ohr, MD and Katelyn Swindle-Reilly, PhD
The global aging population is witnessing an alarming rise in the number of cases of eye disease, with retinal issues affecting the lives of over 250 million people worldwide. Patients with vision threatening conditions such as macular degeneration may receive injections in their eyes as often as every month to prevent blindness. While effective, maintaining these treatment regimens creates a huge burden for patients and their caregivers, as well as for healthcare providers. Vitreoretinal surgeon Matthew Ohr, MD and researcher Katelyn Swindle-Reilly, PhD are developing technology to significantly reduce treatment burden. They have been collaborating for several years to develop delivery therapeutics via a tunable extended release capsule.
Supported by the Lois Hagelberger-Huebner Young Investigator Grant of the Ohio Lions Eye Research Foundation, their efforts have resulted in several peer-reviewed publications and patent applications. To commercialize the drug-delivery technologies they have developed, they have had them licensed by Vitranu.
