Intravenous nanoparticles used to treat wet AMD in mice

Building upon research results from a 2009 study, researchers have been able to partially restore vision in mice using intravenous doses of polymer nanoparticles. The nanoparticles prevent the release of VEGF and don't require the use of painful injections into the eye. In the current study, the researchers created an animal model of wet macular degeneration and then treated the mice with the therapeutic nanoparticles. The vision of about 85% of the treated mice improved greatly just six weeks after a single does of the nanoparticles. While researchers are encouraged by the results of this study, there is concern that the nanoparticles might mistakenly target healthy blood vessel growth as would be found in cardiac tissue of heart attack patients so further studies will be conducted.*