Targeted exosome eye injections for leaky blood vessels in wet age-related macular degeneration
Extracellular vesicle-based intraocular therapy combined with active targeting of ocular neovascularization
Tiny natural particles called exosomes are being modified and injected into the eye to home in on abnormal blood vessels in wet AMD and deliver medicines that could cut down on frequent injections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261215 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers are using small, cell-made packets called exosomes that can carry medicines and naturally move between cells. They add a targeting tag (RGD) so the exosomes preferentially stick to and enter the abnormal blood vessels behind the retina. The team will test intravitreal injections in lab and preclinical models to see how well the exosomes reach diseased tissue, how retinal cells take them up, and how long effects last. The goal is a safer, standardized delivery system that could hold multiple drugs and reduce the need for repeated eye injections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration with choroidal neovascularization, especially those who have incomplete response to anti-VEGF therapy or require frequent injections, would be the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with non-neovascular (dry) AMD, other unrelated eye conditions, or eyes with advanced scarring and irreversible vision loss are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve delivery of treatments to diseased eye tissue, help people who do not respond well to current anti-VEGF injections, and reduce the frequency of injections.
How similar studies have performed: Related exosome and targeted drug-delivery approaches have shown promise in animal and laboratory studies, but clinical benefit in people has not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Sun Young — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Lee, Sun Young
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.