Topical Insulin Drops for Glaucoma
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, is characterized by a permanent loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), a group of central nervous system (CNS) neurons that convey visual information from the retina to the brain via their long axons. Clinically, axonal damage in RGC results in a loss of visual field and may lead to blindness. Currently, reducing eye pressure remains the sole target of proven glaucoma therapies. However, many patients continue to lose vision even when standard interventions are implemented, accentuating the unmet need for novel therapies. Dendrites are processes that determine how neurons receive and integrate information. Dendrite retraction and synapse breakdown are early signs of several neurodegenerative disorders. In mammals, CNS neurons have an extremely limited capacity to regenerate after injury. To date, the ability of mammalian neurons to regrow dendrites and reestablish functional synapses has been largely ignored. Insufficient insulin signaling has been implicated in diseases characterized by dendritic pathology, notably Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma. A versatile hormone, insulin readily crosses the blood-brain-barrier and influences numerous brain processes. In a mouse model of optic nerve transection, our team showed that insulin administration after optic nerve injury promoted robust dendritic regrowth, RGCs survival and retinal responses rescue, providing the first evidence of successful dendrite regeneration in mammalian neurons. Our research validates insulin as a powerful medication to restore dendritic function in glaucoma, forming the basis for using insulin as glaucoma treatment in humans. Currently, insulin is approved for diabetes. Adverse events of systemic insulin include hypoglycemia, hypokalemia, lipodystrophy, allergies, weight gain, peripheral edema and drug interactions. Experimental use of ocular topical insulin have been tested in small cohorts of healthy individuals and diabetic patients, reporting no significant adverse events. However, these protocols varied in insulin posology and adverse events were only touched upon briefly, indicating the necessity to better characterize the safety profile of such off-label use of insulin before its application as a neuroprotective and regenerative treatment for glaucoma. In this study, the investigators hypothesize that topical ocular insulin (up to 500 U/ml) at once per day dosing is safe in patients with open angle glaucoma.
Research Team
Qianqian Wang, MD, FRCSC
Principal Investigator
Département d'ophtalmologie, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for adults aged 18-75 with moderate primary open-angle glaucoma, who can consent and have a specific range of eye damage. They must not be diabetic, malnourished, or have conditions affecting potassium levels. Pregnant women and those with recent eye surgery are excluded.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Topical Insulin Drops (Hormone Therapy)
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Lead Sponsor