Peripheral administration of nonpeptide somatostatin agonists for ophthalmic dise

Project Summary With an increasing older population, including the generational aging of the baby boomers , age-related eye diseases are common and becoming more prevalent. Currently, it is estimated that 11 million Americans suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - a number that is expected to double in the next generation. The first world diabetes epidemic has also brought about a sharp rise in the number of cases of diabetic retinopathy. In the last few years, the FDA has approved two anti-VEGF proteins for the treatment of AMD. And while successful, these therapies are expensive and require regular intravitreal administration. In addition to understandable patient aversion, these treatments have a host of adverse side effects, including conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, vitreous floaters, increased intraocular pressure, vitreous detachment, intraocular inflammation, and even retinal detachment. Somatostatin receptors are located in the mammalian retina and early studies suggested they could