Eurocondor
European Consortium for the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy
Areas / Research groups
Project participants
- Porta Massimo (Manager)
- Beltramo Elena (Researcher)
- Trento Marina (Researcher)
Project description
A group of leading European ophthalmologists, endocrinologists and researchers have gathered together under EUROCONDOR, the European Consortium for the early treatment of diabetic retinopathy, with the aim of implementing the first clinical trial using eye drops for the treatment of the earliest stages of the condition.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) –the general term for microvascular complications of the eye caused by diabetes- is the leading cause of blindness among working-age individuals in developed countries.
DR has been classically considered to be a microcirculatory disease of the retina. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that retinal neurodegeneration is an early event in the pathogenesis of DR. For this reason, it is reasonable to hypothesise that therapeutic strategies based on neuroprotection will be effective not only in preventing or arresting retinal neurodegeneration but also in preventing the development and progression of the early stages of the disease.
Current treatments of DR such as laser photocoagulation or intravitreal injections of corticosteroids are only indicated in advanced stages of the disease and are invasive, costly and associated with significant side-effects. As the number of people with diabetes rises throughout Europe, so does the number of patients at risk of developing DR. It is therefore essential to find new non-invasive treatments for the early stages of the disease.
By developing a new treatment, EUROCONDOR aims to improve the lives of people living with diabetes and to have a positive impact on the health of European citizens.