OTHERA PHARMACEUTICALS INITIATES TRIAL FOR OT-551 IN CATARACT PREVENTION

Othera Pharmaceuticals has initiated a Phase II clinical trial of its lead compound, OT-551, a topically administered eye drop.

The 12-month, double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled study is designed to evaluate the ability of OT-551 to prevent or arrest the progression of cataracts in patients who have undergone vitrectomy surgery, a procedure to correct retinal defects. OT-551, which has been shown to be a potent catalytic antioxidant, recently completed a Phase I safety and comfort study in healthy volunteers.

Preclinical research results indicate additional uses for OT-551, including treatment of early stage and advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by protecting against retina photoreceptor cell death and inhibiting angiogenesis, the growth of small blood vessels leading to the wet-form of AMD. A leading cause of vision loss, AMD affects approximately 10 million Americans