PRG4 (lubricin) eye drop availability?

[MGD666]

This was brought to my attention a while back by another member, and the one article I found mentioning it, was from 2012:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/knes/news/schmidt-eyedrops

Does anyone know if this has progressed beyond the trial stage, and/or if it's available anywhere?

[bunnyrabbit123]

No- not available yet. Neil W. and Kathy have much more info on this, so you might pm them- I think what they said was that it will be trialed in europe next year and hopefully available there sometime the end of 2015. Supposedly shows great promise, but as we are in the states, I don't know if we'll ever have access-

[kylix]

can you be more precise please? There are many sufferers from Europe who could participate in these trials and share experience with it.

[RFREITAS]

I found it:

http://www.lubris.net/contact.HTML

Maybe you can contac them

[RFREITAS]

Also found this for those with MGD:

http://www.masseyeandear.org/news/pr...Eye_Treatment/

Probably not new... but I am always behind! =))

[kylix]

it's unfortunately US based company, but I can try to contact them

[mvallence90]

Now I've just started Azithromycin drops, but they had to be compounded by a pharmacy and don't come cheap. They are an alternative to taking Doxycycline which I didn't react well to. I'm only 2 days in so not much to report as you are not meant to see much change untill 2 weeks in. They don't sting much when you put them in, I also have some prednislone minims that can help with stinging if put in prior but try and space things out by 15 mins with each drop.

My biggest issue is after putting these drops in and finding a regular drop to keep my eye feeling comfortable throughout the day. Any situation I seem to be in my eyes gradually get worse as they day goes on, and they are at their worst at night

[MGD666]

Drops available in Australia, huh? What is in them exactly (other than the azithromycin that is)? Do they offer any sensation of relief at all when dropped in the eye? Please update after a few weeks, as this is one thing I have not tried yet, but been very curious about.

re: eyes gradually getting worse as the day goes on, and worst at night = BINGO! Sadly, I think a lot of us here are in the same boat as far as that goes.

[neilw]

Lubricin should not be confused with Azithromycin drops. They are in no way related. Lubricin, as it name suggests, is aiming to aid lubrication of the ocular surface. When developed it will also help with arthritic joints.

Professor David Sullivan from Harvard University has been involved in the development of this. He has just told me in an email that "we are progressing with Lubricin. Hopefully, a clinical trial will take place next year. And, if successful, we also hope that the product will be available soon thereafter." I believe the trial will be in Europe but I have no more information than this.

He also sent me a link to an article from 2013 about Lubricin - http://www.schepens.harvard.edu/news...an-womens.html

The company that are developing the product, as has been mentioned in an earlier post, are Lubris LLC - http://www.lubris.net/

Based upon what we have been told about Lubricin, it does sound very promising.

[MGD666]

Thanks for the info neilw - yeah, I was not confusing azithromycin drops with Lubricin, just responding to the mvallence90 post above. I am very excited about Lubricin, but I too corresponded with David Sullivan recently, and he indicated the trials would be starting in Europe early next year. I have seen how that goes though, and it may be a long time before they are available, here in the States at least.
A damn shame I say, people need this now! but at least its availability is a possibilty on the distant horizon. Sullivan was also involved with the studies finding that azithromycin could help some people with MGD - I'm curious about both.

[kylix]

it's just my guess, but it could be OTC product, maybe more products from what I read, like drops & contact lenses with Lubricin. So trials would not take so long, which would explain that "we also hope that the product will be available soon thereafter".
The idea of being able to wear contacts again, but this time comfortably with Lubricin sounds really great. Hopefully they will succeed. At least they cooperate with prof. Sullivan which is also great.

Btw: new contact lenses/sclerals with Aloe vera are being introduced in Europe/Asia: http://www.healio.com/ophthalmology/...y-developments . Seems to be really interesting.
Here are some studies done with them: http://web.aimgroupinternational.com...-Book-3.06.pdf.
But not much information about them is available yet, but will definitely follow this closely.

[MGD666]

Lubricin trials in "Phase 2" in Europe so one can hope that there might possibly be some availability by the end of the year - at least in Europe?
http://lubris.net/

[grant555]

seems years off. 2017 or 2018 more likely