According to a news release from biopharmaceutical company Clearside Biomedical, Inc. (“Clearside”) and eye health business Bausch + Lomb, a revolutionary treatment called XIPERE (triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension) was recently FDA-approved. The therapy, the first suprachoroidal injection of its kind, is designed to treat patients with macular edema due to uveitis. In injecting the treatment suprachoroidally, XIPERE has the potential to offer more targeted and effective treatment.
XIPERE
So what exactly is XIPERE? According to Clearside, XIPERE is:
a proprietary suspension of the corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide formulated for administration to the back of the eye for the treatment of macular edema associated with uveitis. Corticosteroids are the standard of care in uveitis and are effective at treating the inflammatory aspect of ocular disease.
Since macular edema, or fluid build-up in the macula, is one of the leading reasons why patients with uveitis lose vision, XIPERE has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes. Additionally, there are no other therapeutic options for patients which directly affect the suprachoroidal space. The treatment is administered using Clearside’s proprietary SCS Microinjector, designed for safer and more targeted delivery.
In the PEACHTREE, AZALEA, and MAGNOLIA clinical trials, researchers found that XIPERE was relatively safe and effective in patients with uveitis-associated macular edema. The treatment improved Best Corrected Visual Acuity and allowed patients to significantly improve their vision. While the treatment is well-tolerated, some adverse reactions did occur. These include:
- Headache
- Increased eye pressure and pain
- Cataracts
- Injection site pain
- Conjunctival hemorrhage
- Lower visual acuity
- Dry eyes
- Photophobia (light sensitivity)
- Vitreal floaters
- Itchy eyes
Uveitis
Uveitis refers to uveal inflammation, or inflammation in the middle layer of the eye. Normally, this layer supplies blood to the retina and protects the eyeball from damage. However, when inflammation occurs, it can cause damage, irritation, and even vision loss. Uveitis is most common in patients between the ages of 20-60. It can be anterior (affecting the front of the eye), intermediate (affecting the ciliary body), posterior (affecting the retina or optic nerve), or pan-uveitis (affecting all three parts). Eye injury or surgery, toxins, infections, or autoimmune disorders can cause uveitis. Symptoms include eye pain and redness, light sensitivity, blurred vision, dark spots (floaters), or vision loss. To prevent permanent vision loss, please visit an ophthalmologist as soon as symptoms arise. Learn more about uveitis.
