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Microplasmin may induce posterior vitreous detachment in patients with diabetic macular edema
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NEW YORK — An intravitreal injection of microplasmin may aid in releasing the posterior vitreous from the retinal surface in patients with diabetic macular edema and may yield complete posterior vitreous detachment in some patients, according to a study.
In a phase 2a dose-escalating study of microplasmin (ThromboGenics), two of 15 patients had a complete posterior vitreous detachment 3 days after receiving a 125-µg dose. Two of 15 patients who received a 75-µg dose of the study drug had a complete posterior vitreous detachment by day 28. No patients in the 25-µg dose group or sham group had a posterior vitreous detachment, Peter Stalmans, MD, PhD, said here at Retina Congress 2009.
Focal vitreomacular traction release was achieved in one of six eyes in the 25-µg dose group, in three of 10 eyes in the 75-µg dose group, in zero of seven eyes in the 125-µg dose group and in zero of eight eyes in the sham group, Dr. Stalmans said.
All doses of the study drug were well-tolerated, Dr. Stalmans said, and there was no retinal tear, retinal detachment, endophthalmitis or any other major adverse events thought to be associated with the study drug. A phase 3 placebo-controlled trial in Europe and the United States is under way in patients with vitreous macular traction, Dr. Stalmans said.