Double-masked prospective ocular safety study of a lens epithelial cell antibody to prevent posterior capsule opacification.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the intraocular safety of an immunoconjugate (MDX-RA) developed to prevent posterior capsule opacification (PCO) in human eyes.

SETTING

St. Thomas's Hospital Eye Department, London, United Kingdom.

METHODS

Twenty-six patients had phacoemulsification and implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL). All were randomly allocated at the end of surgery to receive a 0.1 mL placebo or 0.1 mL of the immunotoxin MDX-RA intracamerally. Two doses of the drug were tested: 8 patients with a low dose (50 units), 9 patients with a high dose (100 units), and 9 with placebo. Follow-up at days 1, 14, 30, 60, 90, and 180 consisted of visual acuity measured by the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study test, contrast sensitivity, aqueous flare, specular microscopy of the IOL's anterior surface, and corneal endothelial counts. The percentage area of PCO was measured from retroillumination images of the posterior capsule.

RESULTS

There was no decrease in corneal endothelial cell count in toxin-treated patients. Early postoperative flare, anterior chamber cell count, and corneal pachymetry were higher in toxin-treated patients. The median percentage area of PCO at 1 year was 32.0 in the placebo group, 3.8 in the low-dose group, and 7.4 in the high-dose group (P = .06).

CONCLUSION

This prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial confirmed that MDX-RA is safe for intraocular use and is of potential value for further clinical trials of the prevention of PCO.