By Amber Jackson RN, DCES – IDS Intern
No More LASIKs?!
Imagine treating diabetic eye disease with a pill instead of injections or invasive procedures.
A new drug called Danegaptide may be moving us closer to that reality.
Researchers are currently studying oral Danegaptide as a potential treatment for diabetic eye disease. The drug is still undergoing clinical trials to evaluate safety and effectiveness, but early results are promising.
After completing Phase 1b trials, researchers reported positive findings as the drug moves forward into a Phase 2 randomized controlled trial.
Early data suggest that nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy may improve when treated with oral Danegaptide. In particular, researchers observed reduced vascular leakage and decreased macular exudation, both key contributors to vision damage in diabetes.
The study was conducted across the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States and included 24 adults with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. Participants had an average age of 64 years, and 25% were female [1].
Patients received oral Danegaptide for 28 days and were closely monitored for safety and pharmacokinetics.
The results were encouraging:
55% of participants showed signs of improvement, including:
- Reduced vascular leakage (a decrease in the area and intensity of fluorescein leakage)
- Reduced macular exudation
- Decreased macular thickness
- Reduced macular volume
- Fewer intraretinal cysts
[1]
Researchers also noted that retinal thickness continued to improve even after the 28-day treatment period [1], suggesting that the drug’s benefits may extend beyond the initial treatment window. More research will be needed to fully understand the long-term effects.
If future trials confirm these findings, oral Danegaptide could offer several important advantages:
- Lower risk of vision loss
- Reduced need for invasive eye injections
- Lower treatment costs
- Improved access to care, particularly in areas where frequent ophthalmology
- Visits are difficult
[1]
In other words, treatments like Danegaptide could help reduce the burden of diabetic eye disease while making care more accessible for many people living with diabetes.
While more research is still needed, this therapy offers an exciting glimpse into a future where protecting vision might be as simple as taking a pill.
References:
[1] Person, et al. “Oral Drug May Allow Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy.” Healio, 13 Feb. 2026, www.healio.com/news/optometry/20260213/oral-drug-may-allow-early-treatment-of-diabetic-retinopathy.
