Image courtesy of NIH

Abfero pharmaceuticals

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Elevated iron levels may contribute to AMD

Removing iron from the retina may offer a novel approach to addressing retinal degeneration

Iron is essential to retinal metabolism. Visual phototransduction—the conversion of photons into electrical signals—occurs in photoreceptors located in the retina, and iron-containing enzymes are key components to photoreceptor function. Excessive iron in the retinal metabolic cycle can be toxic.

Abnormal iron levels in a range of retinal diseases can lead to local iron overload and retinal degeneration. In addition, iron deposition resulting from intraocular foreign bodies or intraocular hemorrhage are known to promote retinopathy.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

AMD is the leading cause of blindness in the United States and the leading cause of vision loss for Americans 65 years and older. Approximately 11 million people currently live with some form of AMD, and that number will double to 22 million in 2050, according to Bright Focus Foundation.

Joshua Dunaief, MD, PhD, a leading expert in retinal degenerative disease and an AbFero scientific advisor, has established that AMD patients have increased levels of retinal iron compared to healthy age-matched controls. The Dunaief Lab has also shown in disease models the beneficial effects of chelators that enter the retina, remove iron, and prevent retinal degeneration.

Elevated retinal
iron levels may
contribute
to AMD

Iron is essential for life, but its very source of utility is also its source of toxicity. Elevated iron levels may contribute to AMD.

Joshua Dunaief, MD, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania

SP-420 and AMD

New
Treatment
strategy

One of SP-420’s distinguishing features is the small molecule’s ability to cross the blood-retinal barrier. Data from the Dunaief Lab has established a foundation for the possible role of SP-420 or other chelators in the treatment of AMD. AbFero has held an FDA pre-IND meeting on forthcoming trials of SP-420 in AMD.

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