Wide-ranging impact: inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) significantly contribute to childhood and adult blindness due to the deterioration of photoreceptor cells. |
Diverse classifications: IRDs encompass a varied spectrum, categorized by inheritance patterns, genes, and organelle involvement, presenting diagnostic complexities, especially in syndromic cases. |
Holistic therapeutic approaches: beyond gene therapy, innovative strategies such as retinal cell replacement, neuroprotection, pharmacology, and optogenetics offer avenues for vision restoration. |
Gene therapy breakthrough: the success of Luxturna exemplifies the transformative potential of gene therapy, demonstrating promising outcomes for patients with Leber congenital amaurosis and pioneering the role of viral vector-based treatments. |
Navigating challenges for progress: addressing optimal intervention timing, standardized outcome assessments, inflammation mitigation, awareness enhancement, and equitable access are key to advancing IRD treatments and reshaping the landscape of visual impairment. |
Introduction
Methodology
Classification of Inherited Retinal Degenerations
Based on mode of inheritance |
1. Autosomal dominant: Stargardt-like macular dystrophy (EVOVL4, PROM1), Autosomal dominant bull’s eye macular dystrophy (PROM1), Best macular dystrophy (BEST1), pattern dystrophy (PRPH2), Doyne’s honeycomb retinal dystrophy (EFEMP1), North Carolina macular dystrophy, Central areolar choroidal dystrophy (PRPH2, GUY2CD), Sorsby fundus dystrophy (TIMP3), Progressive bifocal chorioretinal atrophy, North Carolina macular dystrophy associated with deafness |
2. Autosomal recessive: Stargardt’s disease, Fundus flavimaculatus, Autosomal recessive bestrophinopathies |
3. X-linked: Rod-cone dystrophy (RPGR, RP2), Choroideremia, X-linked retinoschisis, Complete congenital stationary night blindness (NYX), Incomplete congenital stationary night blindness (CACNA1F), Blue cone monochromatism (OPN1LW/OPN1MW), Ocular albinism (GPR143), Alport syndrome, Norrie disease, Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, Incontinentia pigmenti (IKBKG/NEMO), Aicardi syndrome, Fabry disease (GLA), Menkes disease (ATP7A), Danon disease (LAMP2), Mucopolysaccharidosis II, Hunter syndrome (IDS), Goltz syndrome/Focal dermal hypoplasia (PORCN) |
4. Mitochondrial: Neuropathy, ataxia, and retinitis pigmentosa (NARP) syndrome |
Based on organelle involvement |
1. Lysosomes: Hurler, Hurler-Scheie, Scheie disease; neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis; spinocerebellar ataxia |
2. Peroxisomes: Zellweger syndrome, Refsum’s disease, Neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy |
3. Centrioles: FAM161A-associated retinitis pigmentosa |
4. Mitochondria: Kearns-Sayre syndrome, MELAS (mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes), and MIDD syndromes (maternally inherited diabetes and deafness) |
5. Cilium: Usher syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Joubert syndrome, Senior-Loken syndrome, Alstrom syndrome |
Based on functional loss |
1. Rod-cone dystrophy |
2. Cone-rod dystrophy |
3. Cone dystrophy |
4. Rod dystrophy |
Based on the clinical course of the disease |
1. Stationary: Congenital stationary night blindness, Achromatopsia, Blue cone monochromatism, Bornholm eye disease, Albinism, North Carolina macular dystrophy, Enhanced S cone syndrome, X-linked retinoschisis, Benign fleck retina, Retinitis punctata albescence |
2. Progressive: Retinitis pigmentosa, Cone dystrophies, Cone rod and Rod cone dystrophies, Stargardt disease, choroidal dystrophies, Occult macular dystrophies |
Syndromic IRDs |
Alport syndrome, Norrie disease, Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, Incontinentia pigmenti (IKBKG/NEMO), Aicardi syndrome, Fabry disease (GLA), Menkes disease, Syndromic retinitis pigmentosa |
Based on region of involvement |
1. Macula: Best vitelliform macular dystrophies, Autosomal recessive bestrophinopathies, Central areolar choroidal dystrophy, Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy, Stargardt’s disease/Fundus flavimaculatus, North Carolina macular dystrophies, Sorsby macular dystrophy, Pattern dystrophy, Doyne’s honeycomb dystrophy |
2. Pan retinal: Bietti crystalline dystrophy, Choroideremia, Cone dystrophy, Cone rod dystrophy, Leber congenital amaurosis, Rod cone dystrophies—including Retinitis pigmentosa # variable spatial distributions are known for these diseases |
Based on layer of involvement |
1. Vitreoretinal-X linked retinoschisis, Stickler syndrome, Wagner syndrome, Jansen syndrome, Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, Weissenbacher–Zweymüller syndrome, Goldmann Favre syndrome, Norrie disease, Knobloch syndrome |
2. Photoreceptor and Retinal pigment epithelium: Retinitis pigmentosa, cone dystrophy, cone rod dystrophy, Rod cone dystrophy, Leber congenital amaurosis, Achromatopsia, Fundus albipunctatus and other congenital stationary night blindness, Enhanced S cone syndrome |
3. Retinal pigment epithelium: Stargardt disease, Pattern dystrophies (adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy, butterfly-shaped pigment dystrophy, reticular dystrophy, multifocal pattern dystrophy simulating Stargardt disease and fundus pulverulentus), Best vitelliform macular dystrophy, Dominant drusen, Fundus flavimaculatus, Sorsby macular dystrophy |
4. Chorioretinal—Choroideremia, Gyrate atrophy, Central areolar choroidal dystrophy, peripapillary choroidal dystrophy # variable layers can be affected for these diseases |
Gene-Agonistic (Independent)/Nongenetic Therapeutic Prospects for IRD
Retinal Cell Replacement Therapies/Stem Cell Therapies
Approaches | Types | Trial number | Phase | Aim of study | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Photoreceptor transplantation | Stem cell suspension transplantation | NCT02320812 | Phase 1/2 trial | Safety of a single, intravitreal injection of human retinal progenitor cells in retinitis pigmentosa | The cells were well tolerated |
NCT03073733 | Phase 2b trial | Safety and efficacy of intravitreal injection of human retinal progenitor cells in adults with retinitis pigmentosa | Demonstrated some efficacy of human retinal progenitor cells delivery in high-dose patients (best corrected visual acuity improvement) | ||
NCT02464436 | Phase 1/2 dose escalation study | Assessing safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of subretinally transplanted human retinal progenitor cells via injection in retinitis pigmentosa | Trial still going on | ||
NCT04604899 | Phase 2 | Safety of repeat intravitreal injection of human retinal progenitor cells in adult subjects with retinitis pigmentosa | Trial still going on | ||
ChiCTR-TNRC-08000193 | Phase 1 trial | Long-term safety of human retinal progenitor cell transplantation in patients with retinitis pigmentosa | No immunological rejection or tumorigenesis. Long-term safety and feasibility Significant improvement in visual acuity and increase in retinal sensitivity | ||
Structured retinal sheet transplantation | Japan registry of clinical trials ID: jRCTa05020002 | Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal sheets transplantation in patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa | Trial still going on | ||
Retinal pigment epithelial transplantation | NCT01345006 | Phase 1/2 | Safety and tolerability trial to evaluate the effect of subretinal injection of human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells in patients with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy | Evidence of the medium-term to long-term safety, graft survival, and possible biological activity of pluripotent stem cell progeny | |
NCT01469832 | Phase 1/2 | Safety and tolerability of subretinal transplantation of up to 200,000 human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells with systemic immunosuppressive therapy for 13 weeks | Survival of viable transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells | ||
NCT01625559 | Phase 1 | Long-term safety and tolerability of subretinal transplantation of embryonic stem cell-derived RPE in Asian patients with Stargardt disease | No serious adverse events. Long-term safety, tolerability, and feasibility | ||
Ministry of Health of Turkey approval: 56733164/203 | Phase 1 | Safety of subretinal adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADMSC) implantation in advanced-stage retinitis pigmentosa | Evidence of the short-term safety of ADMSCs in humans Ocular complications (choroidal neovascular membrane and epiretinal membrane) were reported | ||
NCT01625559 | Phase 1 | Safety and tolerability of MA09-human retinal pigment epithelial cells in patients with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy | No evidence of adverse serious safety issues Visual acuity improvement | ||
NCT02749734 | Phase 1/2 | Subretinal transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells for early-stage Stargardt macular degeneration: 5 years’ follow-up | Safe and tolerable. Increased visual function Visual function loss in two patients |
Neuroprotection Approaches
Pharmacologic Approaches
Optogenetics
Retinal Prosthesis
Challenges in the Treatment
Failed Therapies for IRDs and Emergence of Luxturna
Gene Therapy at the Bench
Targets for Genetic Therapy
Various Strategies of Gene Therapy
Modes of Ocular Administration
Modalities of Gene Delivery
IRDs and Gene Therapy: Advantages and Challenges at the Bedside
Various Targeted IRDs and Ongoing Clinical Trials
Disease | Target gene | Vector/type | Starting year | NCT identifier | Phase | Status | Location(s) | Number | Outcome measures | Study title/link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Achromatopsia | CNGA3 | rAAV8.hCNGA3 | 2015 | 2610582 | 1/2 | Recruiting | Germany | 14 | Safety (AE). Number of participants with abnormal laboratory values and/or AEs that are related to treatment; efficacy measures. Number of participants with improved visual function | Safety and efficacy of rAAV.hCNGA3 gene therapy in patients with CNGA3-linked achromatopsia |
CNGB3 | rAAV2tYF-PR1.7-hCNGB3 | 2016 | 2599922 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 32 | Adverse events Visual acuity Light aversion Color vision | Safety and efficacy trial of AAV gene therapy in patients with CNGB3 achromatopsia (a clarity clinical trial) | |
CNGA3 | rAAV2tYF-PR1.7-hCNGA3 | 2017 | 2935517 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA and Israel | 24 | Adverse events Visual acuity Light aversion Color vision | Safety and efficacy trial of AAV gene therapy in patients with CNGA3 achromatopsia (a clarity clinical trial) | |
CNGB3 and CNGA3 | AAV2/8-hCARp.hCNGB3 and AAV2/8-hG1.7p.coCNGA3 | 2017 | 3278873 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | UK and USA | 34 | Incidence of AEs related to the treatment Improvement in the visual function Improvement in retinal function Improvement in quality of life | Long-term follow-up gene therapy study for achromatopsia CNGB3 and CNGA3 | |
CNGB3 | AAV2/8-hCARp.hCNGB3 | 2017 | 3001310 | 1/2 | Completed | UK and USA | 23 | Number of participants meeting the primary outcome defined as any of the below events occurring during the 6 weeks following administration, at least possibly related to the ATIMP, not surgery alone Improvements in visual function as assessed by visual acuity Improvements in retinal function as assessed by static perimetry | Gene therapy for achromatopsia (CNGB3) | |
CNGA3 | AAV2/8-hG1.7p.coCNGA3 | 2019 | 3758404 | 1/2 | Completed | UK and USA | 11 | Number of participants meeting the primary outcome defined as any of the below events occurring during the 6 weeks following administration, at least possibly related to the ATIMP, not surgery alone Improvements in visual function as assessed by visual acuity Improvements in retinal function as assessed by static perimetry | Gene therapy for achromatopsia (CNGA3) | |
Choroideremia | CHM | rAAV2.REP1 | 2011 | 1461213 | 1/2 | Completed | UK | 14 | Visual acuity Microperimetry, OCT, and fundus autofluorescence | Gene therapy for blindness caused by choroideremia |
AAV2-REP1 | 2015 | 2553135 | 2 | Completed | US | 6 | Change in BCVA from baseline Change in retinal macular autofluorescence from baseline Changes in microperimetry from baseline Number of participants who experience an AE | Choroideremia gene therapy clinical trial | ||
rAAV2.REP1 | 2015 | 2077361 | 1/2 | Completed | Canada | 6 | Number of patients with ocular and systemic AEs Changes in visual field Changes in visual function | An open label clinical trial of retinal gene therapy for choroideremia | ||
AAV2-hCHM | 2015 | 2341807 | 1/2 | Completed | USA | 15 | Safety and tolerability (assessed by physical exam, vital signs, laboratory changes over time, and AEs) | Safety and dose escalation study of AAV2-hCHM in subjects with CHM (choroideremia) gene mutations | ||
rAAV2.REP1 | 2016 | 2671539 | 2 | Completed | Germany | 6 | BCVA in treated eye Absence of vector-related adverse reactions Fundus autofluorescence analysis | THOR—Tübingen choroideremia gene therapy trial | ||
AAV2.REP1 | 2016 | 2407678 | 2 | Completed | UK | 30 | Change from baseline in BCVA in the treated eye Change from baseline in the central visual field in the treated eye as determined by microperimetry Change from baseline in the area of surviving RPE in the treated eye as measured by fundus autofluorescence, compared to the untreated fellow eye (control eye) after randomization of treatment to one eye or the other | REP1 gene replacement therapy for choroideremia | ||
AAV2.REP1 | 2017 | 3507686 | 2 | Completed | USA and Germany | 66 | BCVA Ophthalmic examination assessment: IOP Ophthalmic examination assessment: abnormal slit lamp examination | A safety study of retinal gene therapy for choroideremia with administration of BIIB111 | ||
AAV2.REP1 | 2017 | 3496012 | 3 | Completed | USA, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK | 170 | Percentage of participants with a ≥ 15-letter improvement from baseline in BCVA at month 12 as measured by the ETDRS chart Change from baseline in BCVA at month 12 measured by the ETDRS chart Percentage of participants with a ≥ 10-letter improvement from baseline in BCVA at month 12 measured by the ETDRS chart | Efficacy and safety of BIIB111 for the treatment of choroideremia | ||
AAV capsid variant (4D-R100) | 2020 | 4483440 | 1 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 13 | Frequency and severity of ocular and systemic AEs | Dose escalation study of intravitreal 4D-110 in patients with choroideremia | ||
Leber congenital amaurosis 2 | RPE65 | AAV2-CBSB-hRPE65 | 2007 | 481546 | 1 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 15 | Safety: standard ocular examination. Vision, hematology and serum chemistries, assays for vector genomes, reported subject history of symptoms and AEs | Phase I trial of gene vector to patients with retinal disease due to RPE65 mutations |
AAV2-hRPE65v2 (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) | 2007 | 516477 | 1 | Completed | USA | 12 | Primary outcomes: safety and tolerability; secondary outcomes: include changes in visual function (subjective, psychophysical tests; objective, physiologic tests) | Safety study in subjects with Leber congenital amaurosis | ||
AAV2-hRPE65v2 (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) | 2010 | 1208389 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 12 | Adverse events as a measure of safety and tolerability Visual acuity Visual field | Phase 1 follow-on study of AAV2-hRPE65v2 vector in subjects with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) 2 | ||
AAV2-hRPE65v2 (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) | 2012 | 999609 | 3 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 31 | Multi-luminance mobility testing (MLMT), bilateral FST testing: white light Multi-luminance mobility testing (monocular) Visual acuity | Safety and efficacy study in subjects with leber congenital amaurosis | ||
AAV2/5-OPTIRPE65 | 2016 | 2946879 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | UK | 27 | Incidence of AEs related to the treatment Improvement in the retinal function Improvement in the visual function Improvement in quality of life | Long-term follow-up gene therapy study for Leber congenital amaurosis OPTIRPE65 (retinal dystrophy associated with defects in RPE65) | ||
Leber congenital amaurosis 10 | CEP290 | QR-110 (antisense oligonucleotide) | 2017 | 3140969 | 1/2 | Completed | USA, Belgium | 11 | Frequency and severity of ocular AEs in the treatment and contralateral eyes Frequency and severity of non-ocular AEs Change in BCVA Change in FST | Study to evaluate QR-110 in Leber’s congenital amaurosis (LCA) due to the c.2991 + 1655A>G mutation (p.Cys998X) in the CEP290 gene |
AAV5 (AGN-151,587 or EDIT-101) | 2019 | 3872479 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 34 | Frequency of AEs related to EDIT-101 Number of participants experiencing procedural related AEs Incidence of dose limiting toxicities | Single ascending dose study in participants with LCA10 | ||
Retinitis pigmentosa, autosomal recessive | MERTK | rAAV2-VMD2-hMERTK | 2011 | 1482195 | 1 | Completed | Saudi Arabia | 6 | Systemic and ocular safety Visual acuity measurement FST | Trial of subretinal injection of (rAAV2-VMD2-hMERTK) |
PDE6B | AAV2/5-hPDE6B | 2017 | 3328130 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | France | 17 | Incidence of ocular and non-ocular AEs Improvement in visual function Improvement in visual fields Improvement in quality of life | Safety and efficacy study in patients with retinitis pigmentosa due to mutations in PDE6B gene | |
Retinitis pigmentosa, autosomal dominant | RHO | QR-1123 (antisense oligonucleotide) | 2019 | 4123626 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 11 | Incidence and severity of ocular AEs Incidence and severity of non-ocular AEs Changes in BCVA | A study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of QR-1123 in subjects with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa due to the P23H mutation in the RHO gene |
Retinitis pigmentosa, X-linked recessive | RPGR | AAV8-coRPGR | 2017 | 3116113 | 1/2/3 | Completed | USA, UK | 50 | Part 1: number of participants with DLTs Part 1: number of participants with TEAEs Part 2: percentage of study eyes with ≥ 7 dB improvement from baseline at ≥ 5 of the 16 central loci of the 10–2 grid assessed by macular integrity assessment (MAIA) microperimetry | A clinical trial of retinal gene therapy for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa using BIIB112 |
AAV2/5-RPGR | 2017 | 3252847 | 1/2 | Completed | USA, UK | 49 | Incidence of AEs related to the subretinal administration of AAV2-RPGR Improvement in visual function Improvement in retinal function Improvement in quality of life | Gene therapy for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP)—retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) | ||
rAAV2tYF-GRK1-RPGR (AGTC501) | 2018 | 3316560 | 1/2 | Recruiting | USA | 42 | Phase 1/2 dose escalation: number and proportion of AEs Phase 1/2 dose escalation: number and proportion of participants experiencing abnormal clinically relevant hematology or clinical chemistry parameters Phase 2 dose expansion: the difference in the proportion of responding eyes between treated and control eyes in low dose group and high dose group | Safety and efficacy of rAAV2tYF-GRK1-RPGR in subjects with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa caused by RPGR mutations | ||
Retinitis pigmentosa, non-specific | ChR2 (optogenetics) | AAV2-Chop2 (RST-001) | 2015 | 2556736 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 14 | Number of participants with any grade 3 or greater AE considered related to RST-001 | RST-001 phase I/II trial for advanced retinitis pigmentosa |
rAAV2.7m8-CAG-ChrimsonR-tdTomato (GS030) | 2018 | 3326336 | 1/2 | Recruiting | USA, France, and UK | 15 | The safety and tolerability of escalating doses of GS030-DP administered via a single IVT and repeated light stimulation using GS030-MD in subjects with non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa Evaluate the treatment effect of GS030 as assessed by visual acuity Evaluate the treatment effect of GS030 as assessed by visual function | Dose-escalation study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of GS030 in subjects with retinitis pigmentosa | ||
AAV ChronosFP (BS01) | 2020 | 4278131 | 1/2 | Recruiting | USA | 20 | Number of subjects with AEs, changes in hematology/chemistry | BS01 in patients with retinitis pigmentosa | ||
Stargardt disease | ABCA4 | EIAV (SAR422459) | 2011 | 1736592 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA and France | 27 | The incidence of AEs Clinically important changes in ocular safety assessments Delay in retinal degeneration | Phase I/II follow-up study of SAR422459 in patients with Stargardt’s macular degeneration |
Usher syndrome 1B | MYO7A | EIAV-CMV-MYO7A (UshStat) | 2013 | 2065011 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA and France | 9 | The incidence of AEs Clinically important changes in ocular safety assessments Delay in retinal degeneration | A study to determine the long-term safety, tolerability and biological activity of SAR421869 in patients with Usher syndrome type 1B |
Usher syndrome 2 | USH2A | QR-421a (antisense oligonucleotide) | 2019 | 3780257 | 1/2 | Completed | USA, Belgium, Canada, France | 20 | Incidence and severity of ocular AEs in the treatment and contralateral eye Incidence and severity of non-ocular AEs Change in DAC perimetry | Study to evaluate safety and tolerability of QR-421a in subjects with RP due to mutations in exon 13 of the USH2A gene |
X-linked retinoschisis | hRS1 | AAV8-scRS/IRBPhRS | 2015 | 2317887 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 12 | Retinal function Ocular structure Occurrence of AEs | Study of RS1 ocular gene transfer for X-linked retinoschisis |
rAAV2tYF-CB-hRS1 | 2015 | 2416622 | 1/2 | Active, not recruiting | USA | 27 | Number of participants experiencing AEs Change from baseline in BCVA Change from baseline in schisis cavity size on OCT Change from baseline in b-wave amplitude in ERG responses | Safety and efficacy of rAAV-hRS1 in patients with X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) |
Date | Event |
---|---|
April 2012 | Orphan drug designation |
November 2012 | Phase 3 clinical trials initiated |
October 2015 | First announcement of data from the first completed phase 3 trial |
July 2016 | Safety and efficacy data in the contralateral eye from a phase 1 study |
October 2016 | 2-year efficacy and safety data from phase 3 study |
January 2017 | 4-year efficacy and safety data announced from a phase 1 follow-on study |
January 2017 | Orphan drug designation |
July 2017 | Pivotal phase 3 clinical trial data published |
August 2017 | Study published confirming multi-luminance mobility test’s construct and content validity, reliability, and ability to detect change in functional vision |
December 2017 | FDA approves LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl), the first gene therapy for a genetic disease in the USA |
November 2018 | EU approval LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec) becomes the first gene therapy for a genetic disease to be approved in both the USA and European Union |
September 2019 | 4-year follow-up shows stable, persistent improvement in navigational ability and light sensitivity |
December 2019 | The first phase 3 trial outside of USA was initiated in Japan |
June 2023 | Japan approval LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec), with a phase 3 trial targeting Japanese patients |
August 2023 | Japan approval insurance reimbursement of LUXTURNA® (voretigene neparvovec) |