title: Ophthalmic drug discovery.
abstract: Millions of people suffer from a wide variety of ocular diseases, many of which lead to irreversible blindness. The leading causes of irreversible blindness in the elderly--age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma--will continue to effect more individuals as the worldwide population continues to age. Although there are therapies for treating glaucoma, as well as ongoing clinical trials of treatments for age-related macular degeneration, there still is a great need for more efficacious treatments that halt or even reverse ocular diseases. The eye has special attributes that allow local drug delivery and non-invasive clinical assessment of disease, but it is also a highly complex and unique organ, which makes understanding disease pathogenesis and ocular drug discovery challenging. As we learn more about the cellular mechanisms involved in age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, potentially, new drug targets will emerge. This review provides insight into some of the new approaches to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Alcon Research, Ltd, Fort Worth, Texas 76134, USA. abe.clark@alconlabs.com
authors.forename: Abbot F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yorio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions