ATL1103 - About the Growth Disorder Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a serious chronic life shortening disease triggered by excess secretion of growth hormone (GH) by benign pituitary tumours. Oversupply of GH overstimulates liver, fat and kidney cells, through their GH receptors, to produce excess levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) in the blood manifesting in abnormal growth of the face, hands and feet, and enlargement of body organs including liver, kidney and heart. The primary treatments for acromegaly are to surgically remove the pituitary gland and/or drug therapy to normalize GH and serum IGF- I levels. In North America, Europe and Japan there are approximately 40,000 diagnosed acromegaly patients with about half requiring drug therapy. In 2004, the total acromegaly market was valued at US$780 million and forecast to grow with the introduction of newer and more effective medications.
ATL1103 - About Sight Disorders
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of vision loss. Over 5 million Americans aged 18 and older are affected by diabetic retinopathy. Around 12,000-24,000 patients with diabetic retinopathy lose their eyesight each year in the US alone. This condition is caused by new blood vessel formation in the retina or macula (the central part of the retina). In diabetes, high blood glucose can cause oxygen deprivation, which can stimulate factors that induce additional blood vessels in the retina. In AMD similar factors are thought to stimulate blood vessel production in the macula. These new blood vessels may break and bleed into the eye leading to scarring within the eye.
Whilst there are drugs to control diabetes, patients with Type I diabetes who have had their disease for more than 10 years have a 90% chance of developing retinopathy, and about 20% of patients with Type II diabetes will get the disease. Surgical ablative treatments such as photocoagulation (laser therapy) are available but are not completely effective, may cause partial vision loss, and can only be used a limited number of times. There is presently no pharmaceutical therapeutic approved for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy,
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