Trial begins for biodegradable glaucoma implant

PolyActiva began recruiting patients into a phase 1 clinical study to test its glaucoma implant.

The company used its proprietary polymer prodrug technology to develop an ocular implant, PA5108, that provides sustained treatment over a 6-month period, PolyActiva said in a press release. The clinical trial will assess the safety and tolerability of the implant when administered to glaucoma patients.

The implant is designed to biodegrade within 90 days after the treatment period and is capable of being administered in an ophthalmologist’s office under a slit lamp using a custom-designed administration device, according to the release.

The phase 1 clinical trial will involve seven glaucoma patients, and initial results are expected in the first quarter of 2019.

Patients who are currently managing their open-angle glaucoma with combination drop therapy will be recruited, according to the clinicaltrials.gov website.

Drop therapy will cease in the treatment eye and continue in the contralateral eye. The treated eye will receive, via injection, a single PA5108 ocular implant. Participants will be monitored for safety and tolerability of the ocular implant until it completely biodegrades.

The phase 1 clinical trial is being conducted under the Therapeutic Goods Administration Clinical Trial Notification scheme at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, through the Centre of Eye Research Australia.