Researchers develop groundbreaking diagnostic test
15 years, 9 months ago
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Posted on Jul 24, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
A new licensing agreement has brought anti-aging physicians one step closer to being able to assess a patient's risk of age-related blindness before symptoms manifest.
A new licensing agreement has brought anti-aging physicians one step closer to being able to assess a patient's risk of age-related blindness before symptoms manifest.
Cambridge University's commercialisation company Cambridge Enterprise and Canadian molecular diagnostic company ArcticDx are developing a diagnostic test to identify an individual's genetic predisposition to developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) prior to the onset of the condition.
President and CEO of ArcticDx, Greg Hines said: "This will be the first time that clinicians will be able to diagnose the condition before symptoms arise. This provides the opportunity for targeted patient education and routine eye examinations that offer early detection and disease management.
"Macular Degeneration is a disease that can be arrested but it is not reversible. It is important to offer earlier treatment regimens that may arrest the disease before significant vision loss occurs."
AMD is currently one of the most prevalent forms of blindness in Europe and the US, affecting one in 15 people over the age of 75.
