LumiThera: Data Show Valeda Treatments Improve Vision and Retinal Function in Dry AMD patients
LumiThera, a commercial stage medical device company offering a photobiomodulation (PBM) treatment for ocular damage and disease, announced the final topline data from the ELECTROLIGHT pilot study in intermediate dry AMD patients.
A total of 23 eyes from 15 subjects with dry AMD were enrolled into the prospective clinical study and treated with PBM using the Valeda Light Delivery System (3 times per week for 3 weeks). Eight Caucasian males and seven females were enrolled with a mean age of 75.1 years (65-93 years). The mean time since AMD diagnosis was 5.0 years (0-14 years). Subjects were tested for safety and functional vision improvements using the Diopsys electroretinogram (ERG) device. ERG is a diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity of the retina of the eye in response to a light stimulus. All subjects were tested at weekly intervals for ERG function prior to the start of the next week of PBM treatments. The study followed the patients out to 6 months. The study was conducted by Dan Montzka, MD, and Larry Perich, DO, at the Perich Eye Center (New Port Richey, Florida).
Multi-luminance Electroretinogram (ERG) Magnitude AUC improved by 14.4% from baseline after completion of the Month 1 treatment and showed a 9% improvement at 6 months in the ITT population. A positive correlation between multi-luminance ERG and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was seen (P < 0.05) following initial PBM treatment. Positive correlations between multi-luminance ERG and fixed luminance (R = 0.870) and chromatic ERG outcomes (R = 0.676) were also reported in the Month 1 interim analysis.
Subjects showed approximately 12.8 ± 0.98 letter improvement in BCVA at Month 6 compared to BL scores. Mars Contrast Sensitivity (CS) also showed improvement from BL to Month 6 at 40 cm (0.202 log + 0.02), 80 cm (0.197 log + 0.02) and 120 cm (0.28 log + 0.03).
“Valeda provided statistically significant and sustained improvements in BCVA, CS and multi-luminance ERG function from baseline out to Month 6 time point following 9 PBM treatments,” stated Dan Montzka, MD. “Diopsys multi-luminance ERG is an early, sensitive and quantitative measure of visual dysfunction in dry AMD patients.”
“The study further confirms previous LIGHTSITE I and II studies that the Valeda Light Delivery System improves visual function,” stated Larry Perich, DO. “The subjects were very pleased with the results of their treatments and no safety issues were seen.”
Diopsys ERG testing is a powerful and quantitative diagnostic that can be coupled with LumiThera’s PBM treatments to characterize early patient benefits on visual function,” said Joe Fontanetta, CEO, Diopsys. “These results of this work will allow physicians to diagnose, treat and monitor patients and provides physicians a solution for a disease with limited treatment options.”
“We are strong supporters of treating degenerative disease early to slow the progression of vision-threatening disease.” stated Clark E. Tedford, PhD, President and CEO, LumiThera. “The key in chronic ocular disease is early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring and we hope studies such as this pilot pave the way to a more preventative approach. The patients in the ELECTROLIGHT study are similar in demographics as the LIGHTSITE III US study in terms of time from dry AMD diagnosis, AREDs use and age. Previously, we reported the US LIGHTSITE III dry AMD trial fully enrolled 100 subjects in 1Q of 2021 and is continuing to move forward with the 13-month efficacy timepoint for all patients in 1Q of 2022.”