Alimera, CDS to Collaborate on DME Treatment

Alimera Sciences, an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company, and Control Delivery Systems (CDS), a maker of innovative drug delivery systems for the eye, announced a worldwide agreement to co-develop and market a new pharmacologic treatment indicated for diabetic macular edema (DME), a major cause of vision loss in people suffering from diabetic retinopathy.

Alimera and CDS are in discussions with the FDA to initiate clinical trials to determine the effectiveness of injecting an implantable form of CDS' technology into the vitreous of the eye to treat DME. The miniscule implant is small enough to be injected into the eye via a 25 gauge needle and is expected to provide delivery of drug to the back of the eye for up to three years.

Currently, the only approved method of treating DME involves laser photocoagulation therapy, which can leave irreversible blind spots. DME is a common complication of diabetic retinopathy and is caused by fluid build-up in the central vision portion of the retina. Alimera also has the option to develop three additional products using CDS' drug delivery technology.