Ellex Medical Lasers awarded Government grant for macular degeneration
Adelaide-based Ellex Medical Lasers (ASX: ELX) has been awarded a $0.54 million Victorian Government grant for the Ellex 2RT™ Research Program, to conduct a clinical trial investigating the efficacy of laser treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Ellex shares were trading at $0.22.
The grant was awarded as part of the $41 million Victoria’s Science Agenda (VSA) Investment Fund, with the trial to be conducted by the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), in partnership with Ellex R&D Pty Ltd.
Head of Macular Research at CERA, Professor Robyn Guymer said the trial is particularly exciting because unlike existing AMD treatments, Ellex 2RT™ treatment targets the disease in its early stages, before vision is lost.
“Currently, when a patient is diagnosed with early AMD, they’re told that nothing can be done until the disease reaches its late stages, by which time some patients have suffered irreversible vision loss,” Professor Guymer said.
The treatment involves a novel laser device developed by Ellex that delivers a controlled nanosecond dose of laser energy into the eye.
“In applying the laser therapy we hope to halt, or partially reverse, the progression of AMD before it
threatens a patient’s sight.”
According to the Macular Degeneration Foundation, AMD is the leading cause of blindness in Australia, affecting one in seven people over the age of 50 – and its prevalence is expected to increase due to aging demographics.
AMD is estimated to cost the community more than $2.6 billion annually.
Ellex CEO Simon Luscombe said "since launching the Ellex 2RT™ Research Program in 2007 we have made significant progress with our laboratory research and clinical trials, and this marks an important next step in our program."
"We are particularly pleased to be working with Professor Guymer, who has an outstanding track record in AMD research both locally and internationally,” he said.
Ellex is a recognised global leader in the design and manufacture of ophthalmic laser and ultrasound systems,
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