Oral Drug Shows Promise in Protecting Against Diabetic Eye Disease

An investigational drug could offer a new way to prevent or slow vision-threatening damage caused by diabetic retinopathy. Results published today in Science Translational Medicine show promise for danegaptide, an oral small molecule drug designed to protect the blood vessels of the retina from damage caused by high blood glucose, offering a simpler alternative to current medication.

“Managing diabetic eye disease before irreversible damage occurs has long been constrained by the burden of invasive injections,” said Matthew Campbell, PhD, chair of neurovascular genetics at Trinity College Dublin and senior author of the study. “Our findings demonstrate that a simple oral pill can effectively target and repair the inner blood-retina barrier. This potentially offers a non-invasive, preventive path forward that could protect vision in both eyes simultaneously, long before severe sight loss takes hold.”