Proof of Concept
Success in Animal Models
AVT and its collaborators evaluated the vector technology in a mouse model of retinal neovascularization in which the animals rapidly develop new defective blood vessels that lead to detachment of the retina from the back of the eye. AVT is collaborating with Dr. Peter Campochiaro, at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Campochiaro is a world leader in ocular angiogenesis and is working with AVT for the evaluation of product candidates.
AVT generated a proof-of-concept vector and administered it to one eye in each mouse. The AVT vector protected the treated eyes from the effects of neovascularization (Figure 5). The three panels in the left-hand column represent the untreated eye and those in the right-hand column represent the treated eye from the same animal. The top two panels display fluorescein angiograms. The untreated eye shows diffuse blood vessel leakage, whereas the treated eye shows a normal vascular pattern. The middle panels display cross-sectional views of the retinas. Again, the untreated eye shows diffuse leakage and retinal thickening, whereas the treated eye shows a retina that is nearly normal. The bottom two panels display cross sections of the entire eyes. The untreated eye shows a complete retinal detachment, whereas the retina in the treated eye is attached throughout its entirety. These preclinical data underscore the clinical potential of the AVT technology and strategy.
Figure 5. Dramatic efficacy of the AVT vector in an animal model of ocular neovascularization. The three panels in the left-hand column represent the untreated eye and those in the right-hand column represent the treated eye from the same animal. The top two panels display fluorescein angiograms. The middle panels display cross-sectional views of the retinas. Again, the untreated eye shows diffuse leakage and retinal thickening, whereas the treated eye shows a retina that is nearly normal. The bottom two panels display cross sections of the entire eyes.