Future File highlights new and innovative early-stage and preclinical concepts that could one day help to advance the everyday practice of retina specialists.

Fatty Acid Supplements May Prevent ROP in Premature Infants

■ Risk for a severe form of retinopathy of prematurity, which can cause blindness in extremely premature babies, was halved when the newborns were given a new supplement combining various fatty acids. This was shown in a study led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

The study, now published in JAMA Pediatrics, is described as groundbreaking in its field. It documents a clear fall in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among extremely premature infants (born before 28 weeks’ gestation), whose retinal blood vessels are not fully developed. The condition can cause visual impairment and, at worst, blindness after retinal detachment.

The study included 206 extremely premature babies in the neonatal wards at the university hospitals in Gothenburg, Lund, and Stockholm over a period exceeding 3 years, from 2016 to 2019. Roughly half of these newborns were given prophylactic nutritional supplements, orally, with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (50 mg per day per kg of body weight), combined with the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (twice as much). Today, the latter fatty acid is not included in the supplements routinely administered to extremely premature babies immediately after birth.

In the group of extremely premature infants given the fatty acid supplement, 16 of 101 (15.8%) had severe ROP. The corresponding proportion in the control group was 35 of 105 (33.3%).

Study Links Vision Loss to Increased Mortality

■ A meta-analysis in The Lancet Global Health, consisting of 48,000 people from 17 studies, found that those with more severe vision impairment had a higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to those who had normal vision or mild vision impairment. According to the data, the risk of mortality was 29% higher for participants with mild vision impairment than for those normal vision. The risk increases to 89% among those with severe vision impairment.

Importantly, 4 of 5 cases of vision impairment can be prevented or corrected. Globally, the leading causes of vision loss and blindness are both avoidable: cataract and the unmet need for glasses.

The study’s lead author, Joshua Ehrlich, MD, MPH, sought to better understand the association between visual disabilities and all-cause mortality.

“It’s important these issues are addressed early on because losing your vision affects more than just how you see the world; it affects your experience of the world and your life,” said Dr. Ehrlich in a news release. “This analysis provides an important opportunity to promote not only health and wellbeing, but also longevity by correcting, rehabilitating, and preventing avoidable vision loss across the globe.”

Gemini Complement H Reduces CNV Severity

■ Gemini Therapeutics presented a preclinical complement H study at the 2021 ARVO Virtual Annual Meeting. The poster, titled “Anti-angiogenic Activity of Complement Factor H in a Laser-induced Choroidal Neovascularization Mouse Model,” demonstrated that human recombinant complement factor H (rhCFH) reduced the severity of CNV compared to control.

GEM103 (rhCFH) is in clinical development as a potential therapy for patients with geographic atrophy secondary to dry AMD, as well as a potential add-on therapy for patients suffering from wet AMD with or at risk for macular atrophy who are receiving anti-VEGF treatment.

“We were pleased to see CNV severity was significantly reduced in the group treated with recombinant human CFH,” said Walter Strapps, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Gemini Therapeutics, in a news release. “The results demonstrate that GEM103 may be the next generation of complement therapeutics differentiated by both its mode of action and its potential for an improved safety profile. These data are part of the growing body of evidence contributing to our confidence in GEM103’s development as a novel intravitreal treatment to restore regulation of the complement system and potentially benefit patients with AMD.” RP