Every third Dane over the age of 70 is affected by the eye condition AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration). They have difficulty reading and find it difficult to watch TV and to recognise the facial features of the people they meet.

Thomas Corydon from Aarhus University has just received a grant from the Riisfort Foundation to conduct research into new treatment methods for the eye condition AMD, which is also characterised by age blemishes on the retina.

The grant gives Thomas Corydon the opportunity to take another step on the path to developing genetically based treatment of AMD.

Most frequent cause of blindness

"The eye condition is characterised by new blood vessels destroying the retina due to the VEGF growth factor. We want to develop new biological particles that can effectively control the DNA-based molecules which can inhibit the formation of VEGF. In the long term, we can establish a molecular-genetic treatment of the disease," explains Thomas Corydon.

The eye condition is the most frequent cause of poor eyesight and blindness among elderly people in the western world. It is hoped that the research can contribute with new knowledge about the disease and that this can be very important for elderly people who suffer from AMD each year.

"Our research aims to establish a form of therapy that works long term, where patients only need to be treated once. Today patients with AMD are typically treated every four to six weeks," says Thomas Corydon. 

Contact

Associate Professor, PhD Thomas Corydon
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Direct tel.: +45 8716 7775
tjc@hum-gen.au.dk