Eye drops to strengthen the eye and slow childhood nearsightedness
Topical Eyedrops Increasing Lysyl Oxidase and Dopamine Activity to Control Myopia
These experimental eye drops deliver copper to boost an enzyme and dopamine activity to help strengthen the eye and slow nearsightedness in children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iveena Delivery Systems, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261496 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project is developing IVMED-85, a topical eye drop that delivers copper to raise levels of lysyl oxidase and increase dopamine-related activity to stiffen the sclera and cornea and slow axial eye growth. The team showed the drops slowed axial lengthening and myopia progression in juvenile myopic guinea pigs and completed GLP toxicology studies in juvenile animals. The current work completes formulation stability and safety testing needed to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA. If the IND is accepted, the next step would be human clinical trials to test safety and effectiveness in children with progressing myopia.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and adolescents with progressing nearsightedness (increasing prescription or axial length) would be the main candidates for future trials of this treatment.
Not a fit: People with stable, non-progressing nearsightedness, adults with long-established high myopia, or those with other eye diseases that prevent topical drug access are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could slow progression of childhood myopia and lower the future risk of high-myopia complications such as retinal detachment, maculopathy, cataract, and glaucoma.
How similar studies have performed: This copper-driven crosslinking approach is novel for myopia control; it showed promising results in animal studies, but no approved human drug currently uses this exact mechanism for myopia.
Where this research is happening
Salt Lake City, United States
- Iveena Delivery Systems, INC. — Salt Lake City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Molokhia, Sarah Abdulla — Iveena Delivery Systems, INC.
- Study coordinator: Molokhia, Sarah Abdulla
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.