Race to combat RP with optogenetic goggles

According to the report, which appeared in MIT Technology Review, GenSight Biologics and Bionic Sight have both separately announced the development of high-tech goggles that will shoot beams of light into the retina to restore sight for people with retinitis pigmentosa.Optogenetics is a biological technique that involves the use of light to control cells in living tissue, typically neurons that have been genetically modified to express light-sensitive ion channels.When combined with cutting-edge wearable technology, the method could, in theory, be adopted to treat any type of retinal disease involving photoreceptor damage or loss.{{quote-A:R-W:450-I:2-Q: The prototype restored sight for blind monkeys and rats during lab tests -WHO:Mr Bernand Gilly, CEO of GenSight}}GenSight Biologics and Bionic Sight are also closely monitoring developments of the first human trial of optogenetics, which was started in March last year by Allergan-owned RetroSense Therapeutics.According to David Birch from the Retina Foundation of the Southwest, a further three patients have enrolled in the trial, whereby an engineered virus carrying a gene from algae is injected into the eyes of the patients. The virus then instructs cells to reproduce light-sensitive protein.The RetroSense study is different insofar as it relies on natural light to activate the cells. That could limit the treatment’s effectiveness, because the light-sensing proteins only respond to specific wavelengths of light, and low levels of ambient or natural light may not be bright enough to trigger th.Instead, Professor Richard Masland of the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School said goggles or wearable devices were by far the most portable and convenient devices to beam controlled light with the right wavelength and intensity.GenSight has collaborated with the Institut de la Vision in Paris to create the goggles, which could convert images into bright pulses of red light to stimulate the modified photoreceptors. The goggles are equipped with a camera, digital micromirror and microprocessor to convert images to light signals.GenSight CEO Mr Bernand Gilly said the prototype restored sight for blind monkeys and rats during lab tests. The company is looking forward to human trials this year.Meanwhile, startup Bionic Sight has scheduled human trials for 2018 after partnering with gene-therapy group Applied Genetic Technologies to create an eye-wearable device using a similar optogenetic approach.Bionic Sight founder Ms Sheila Nirenberg, a neuroscientist from Weill Cornell Medical College said that its goggles would convert light into a pattern of pre-processed pulses called a neural code, which will then stimulate ganglion cells. It’s not clear what sort of vision could result from stimulating the ganglion cells but tests are underway to find answers.