The National Eye Institute (NEI) awarded a $306,118 Project Grant under its Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867) to Eyescreen, Inc. The grant will support the development of novel ex vivo preclinical models and a high-throughput drug screening platform to test the efficacy and safety of investigational new drugs (INDs) for blinding diseases like age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and inherited retinal degenerations. The key objectives are to establish functionally viable human donor eye tissue models that can maintain in vivo-like light responsiveness for over 48 hours post-mortem, as well as create a multichannel platform to assess the impact of INDs on human retinal neuron and glial cell physiology under disease stressors. This project aims to improve the translation probability of INDs entering clinical trials and reduce reliance on animal experiments, ultimately accelerating the development of new life- and sight-saving treatments.
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