AMD-iPAC's Initiatives

• Commercialization of a blood test for AMD based on biomarkers that track therapeutic efficacy and identify high-risk patients prior to clinical evidence of the disease
  
  Carboxyethylpyrrole protein adducts and autoantibodies, biomarkers for age-related macular degeneration.
  J Biol Chem. 2003 Oct 24;278(43):42027-35. Epub 2003 Aug15.
  
  
• Prevention of neovascular AMD-related blood vessel growth and leakage with novel cell-signaling inhibitors
  
  A novel function for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP3): inhibition of angiogenesis by blockage of VEGF binding to VEGF receptor-2.
  Nat Med. 2003 Apr;9(4):407-15. Epub 2003 Mar 24.
  
  Carboxyethylpyrrole oxidative protein modifications stimulate neovascularization: Implications for age-related macular degeneration.
  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Sep 5;103(36):13480-4. Epub 2006 Aug 25.
  
  
• Characterization of oxidative changes in the retina associated with AMD that will aid in the identification of drug targets to prevent this disorder
  
  Drusen proteome analysis: an approach to the etiology of age-related macular degeneration.
  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 12;99(23):14682-7. Epub 2002 Oct 21
  
  
• Analysis of therapeutic agents that prevent retinal protein oxidative damage and subsequent development of AMD
  
  
• Investigation of inflammatory and immunological signals involved in the progression of disease that may lead to the development of an AMD vaccine
  
  
• Isolation of genetic factors involved in AMD and development of new animal models that will result in more efficient screening, faster optimization and better efficacy of new therapies for AMD
  
  Retinal degeneration caused by mutations in TULP1.
  Adv Exp Med Biol. 2003;533:303-8.