pSivida: Study shows Retisert reduces recurrence rate for eye-disease uveitis

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., April 6 - Bausch & Lomb, exclusive licensee of Retisert, conducted a randomized study that showed the recurrence rate for uveitis was significantly lower in eyes receiving Retisert than in eyes receiving standard of care (systemic corticosteroid or other immunosuppressive agents), according to a news release from pSivida Ltd.

pSivida said Bausch & Lomb recently released the two-year results from its European clinical trial of Retisert for the treatment of chronic non-infectious posterior segment uveitis.

The study involved 146 patients across 10 countries in Europe and the Middle East, the release said.

Uveitis, a leading cause of blindness affecting an estimated 175,000 people in the United States, is a chronic auto-immune disease in which the body's own defenses attack the inner lining of the eye (the uvea).

Retisert, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April 2005, is the only FDA-approved drug for this disease.

Retisert is surgically implanted into the eye and is approved to release a constant amount of the drug, fluocinolone acetonide, over a treatment period of 30 months.

pSivida is a bio-nanotech company with headquarters in Perth, Australia.

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