New eye drug may someday help diabetic patients

Scientists have developed an experimental medication called UBX1325, or foselutoclax, that shows promise in treating macular edema. Diabetes can lead to eye problems, and a common one is diabetic macular edema (DME), causing vision loss. Now a study published in Nature Medicine suggest a new experimental drug could someday help make treatment of DME more successful and longer-lasting. The drug - part of a new class of therapeutics called "senolytics" - was developed by scientists at San-Francisco-based UNITY Biotechnology and the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre , affiliated with Université de Montréal. Called UBX1325, or foselutoclax, the drug was tested on diabetic patients who didn't respond well to regular treatment. DME occurs when tiny blood vessels that supply the retina start to leak, cause swelling and vision problems. Current treatments, effective for about half of diabetic patients, often require frequent eye injections and may come with side effects.