Sustained eye drops of fenofibrate to help people with diabetic retinopathy
Official title: Sustained release of fenofibrate for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11374416 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new eye-delivery system using tiny biodegradable nanoparticles may provide long-lasting fenofibrate in the retina to help people with diabetic retinopathy who don’t fully respond to current anti-VEGF treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $538,028 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY033477-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374416 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with diabetic retinopathy who need ongoing treatment and may benefit from a long-acting ocular fenofibrate delivery system.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose disease does not respond to the PPARα pathway or who have contraindications to fenofibrate would not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project aims to keep fenofibrate in the eye for weeks at a time using 200 nm biodegradable nanoparticles, reducing how often injections are needed. By targeting a non-VEGF, PPARα pathway, the approach seeks to slow or prevent vision-threatening changes in diabetic retinopathy. The team will test the delivery system in preclinical models to assess safety and sustained drug release, with the goal of translating to patients who struggle with current therapies. If successful, patients could experience fewer injections and better visual outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this strategy could reduce injection frequency and improve vision for people with diabetic retinopathy who respond poorly to anti-VEGF drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Prior data show fenofibrate can be effective in DR; this project advances a novel sustained ocular delivery that is still in preclinical stages.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Qingguo — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Xu, Qingguo
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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.