CLT-001

CLT-001 is a potent small peptide that can arrest vascular leakage in several animal models of both Diabetic Retinopathy and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.  CLT-001 causes a profound decrease in VEGF synthesis and increases PEDF synthesis.  In addition, we have demonstrated that topical eyedrop administration of CLT-001 can reduce vascular permeability in the retina.

 

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Effect of CLT-001 on retinal neovascularization and on VEGF and PEDF expression in the retina.

Retinal neovascularization was induced in rats and CLT-001 was intravitreally injected. Fluorescein angiography was performed at P17, 4 days after the CLT-001 injection. VEGF and PEDF levels were determined by Western blots at P16 (72 h after the CLT-001 injection), normalized by -actin levels, and expressed as percentages of respective controls which received the same volume of PBS injection. A, normal retinal vasculature at P17; B, retinal vasculature of rats with retinopathy after PBS injection; C, retina with retinopathy after CLT-001 injection; each panel shows one representative angiograph from three animals; D, retinal VEGF levels; and E, retinal PEDF levels in normal and retinopathy rats with PBS or CLT-001 injection.

 

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Effect of retrobulbar injection and eyedrop application of CLT-001 on vascular permeability in OIR rats.

Rats with OIR were randomly assigned to 2 groups. From P12 to P16, group 1 received CLT-001 eyedrops (3 µg/µl CLT-001), twice daily, in the right eye and the solvent in the left eye as the control. At P17, the permeability was measured in the retina (A) and iris (B). Group 2 received a single retrobulbar injection of CLT-001 in the right eye at P14 and PBS in the left eye as the control. The permeability was measured at P16 and expressed as µ g of dye per mg of protein in the tissue (mean ± SEM, n = 4). *(p < 0.05) and *(p < 0.01).