Okuvision GmbH, an innovator in the field of electrical stimulation therapy (EST) for early and intermediate stage retinitis pigmentosa patients, today announced the presentation of data from the company's first sham-controlled pilot study at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting. The study included 24 patients suffering from early and intermediate stage retinitis pigmentosa who were separated into three groups and received EST at varying strengths for 30 minutes once a week for six weeks. The presentation was delivered by lead author, Dr. Florian Gekeler of the Centre for Ophthalmology, Tuebingen University Eye Hospital, and is one of four Okuvision-related presentations being given at the 2011 ARVO Annual Meeting convening May 1-5 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Dr. Gekeler's poster presentation titled, "Transcorneal Electrical Stimulation in Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa," highlights findings from Okuvision's first clinical trial which began in 2007 using a thread electrode to stimulate the retina with small amounts of current. Twenty-four patients with early and intermediate stage retinitis pigmentosa were randomized and separated into three different groups. Each group received different levels of stimulation-the first was treated without electrical current, the second with 67 percent of the individual threshold, and the third with 150 percent of the patient's threshold for 30 minutes a week for six weeks. Final evaluation showed a +20 percent statistically significant improvement in the field of vision by patients who received the 150 percent stimulation. The findings from this study emphasize that electrical stimulation of the retina liberates growth factors which may be able to delay retinal degeneration.
"Our team began this study with the goal of determining whether electrical stimulation therapy could safely and effectively preserve vision for early stage retinitis pigmentosa patients," said Dr. Florian Gekeler, consultant at the Centre for Ophthalmology of the University of Tuebingen, Germany. "The visual results achieved surpassed our initial expectations and it is our hope that these results will be the first step in ensuring that EST is considered a viable treatment option to slow the degenerative progress for retinitis pigmentosa patients."
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is one of the most common forms of inherited retinal degeneration that grows worse over time. Affecting approximately 300,000 people in the world, this progressive condition typically causes severe vision problems in adulthood, often resulting in complete blindness. While there are no approved treatment options that can slow the onset of RP, this study presents patients with a promise of hope in delaying the degeneration of the eye.
"The results of our study show promise that a treatment option, while not a cure for retinitis pigmentosa, could be available in the future," said Dr. Walter-G. Wrobel, chairman and founder, Okuvision GmbH. "While much is still unknown about EST technology, the results of the study are a great step toward determining efficacy of this treatment and we look forward to conducting further studies to potentially reach out to those who are hopeful in delaying the effects of retinitis pigmentosa."
The study findings were also reported online on April 5, 2011 in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, the official journal of ARVO (A.Schatz et.al., IOVS Papers in Press. Published on April 5, 2011 as Manuscript iovs.10-6932).
The Okuvision therapy device is not for sale in the United States.
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Okuvision GmbH
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