Session Speaker
Biologics For Eye Disease
Douglas Coster, M.A. Thiel and K.A. Williams
Australia

Biologics are finding increasing use as therapeutic agents for a wide range of human conditions. They are generally administered systemically. Whole antibodies are too large to cross the cornea so that injections into the eye are required. Recombinant antibody fragments containing the specific binding site for antigen, but which are only a fraction of the size of an IgG molecule can be formulated so that they will penetrate into the eye when administered topically (USA patent 6773916). They have the potential to alter the treatment of common eye conditions. Single chain variable fragments (scFv), are small (around 25kDa) and contain a single antibody binding site. These fragments cross into eye, and have affinity and pharmacological activities comparable with the parental antibody. Clinical application is overdue. The prophylaxis and treatment of corneal transplant rejection with biologics has hitherto been limited because the regimens of administration used in solid organ transplantation - approximately 80% of patients receiving a solid organ transplant receive a biologic at some stage - are not applicable to the eye. Common inflammatory disorders of the eye and neovascular disorders of the front of the eye are also likely to benefit from this approach.