Cornell University and reVision Therapeutics have come together through a licensing agreement to develop a treatment for Stargardt disease, according to BioSpace. They will be working on and commercializing Cornell’s proprietary technology, REV-0100.

About Stargardt Disease

Stargardt disease affects the retina, usually resulting in vision loss. It typically affects children and adolescents, although mild cases may not notice symptoms until early adulthood. While affected individuals do not typically reach total blindness, they often lose their vision to the point of 20/200 or worse. They also experience color blindness, the loss of peripheral vision, delayed adjustment to changes in light, spots in the center of their vision, and sensitivity to bright light. These symptoms are most often caused by a mutated ABCA4 gene.

A diagnosis can be reached through a variety of tests, but doctors will start with an examination of the retina. Other tests include OCTs, ERGs, color testing, Fundus photos, and visual field testing. After a diagnosis is obtained, treatment consists of visual aids and living healthy lifestyles. There are no treatments or cures for Stargardt disease.

About REV-0100

REV-0100 is a Stargardt disease therapy that is meant to bind to and then remove the toxic lipid, lipofuscin. This lipid is responsible for the degeneration and death of cells in the retina.

The license agreement between reVision and Cornell will hopefully allow for a better and faster development of this treatment. As there are currently no treatments specific to this disease, this is very exciting. If the development of REV-0100 is successful, Stargardt disease patients will finally have a viable treatment option.