Developing New Drugs for Glaucoma

We are developing new drugs that target NAD synthesis to provide protection to the retina and optic nerve in glaucoma.

Current treatment strategies for glaucoma only focus on the management of intraocular (eye) pressure. There are no available therapies that target the degenerative processes in the retina and optic nerve themselves. The Williams lab is developing a first-in-class injectable formulation for glaucoma to prevent blindness at its root cause – neurodegeneration in the retina and optic nerve.

Current treatment strategies for glaucoma only target IOP lowering – our new compounds are designed to protect the retina and the optic nerve directly. This BrightFocus proposal capitalizes on our recent findings that targeting NAD can prevent glaucomatous neurodegeneration in animal models and restore vision in glaucoma patients (nicotinamide treatment; nicotinamide is an upstream molecule that makes NAD in the same pathway as NMNAT2).

The immediate downstream beneficiaries will be glaucoma and optic neuropathy patients. Too many glaucoma patients are refractory to pressure lowering medication (the only current treatment) and progress to blindness. Extending the period of functional vision allows increased independence, working years, driving, and socio-economic benefits (including health benefits from societal inclusion and activity). As glaucoma shares many pathophysiological mechanisms with other neurodegenerations, including the depletion of neuronal NAD pools, our findings will have broader benefit.