Boehringer Ingelheim and the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative (MTM Vision) have announced a long-term collaboration aimed at combating vision loss resulting from diabetes. Boehringer Ingelheim is the first pharmaceutical company to join the MTM Vision Consortium, which is housed at the University of Michigan. The consortium unites innovators from universities, foundations, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies in a pre-competitive space.
The MTM Vision Consortium focuses on addressing the need for novel diagnostics for diabetic retinal disease (DRD), validating clinical trial endpoints and biomarkers, and accelerating the development of breakthrough therapies. These efforts are designed to enable earlier treatment before vision loss occurs and to contribute to new regulatory pathways for drug approval.
Collaborative Goals and Objectives
Dr. Ulrike Graefe-Mody, global head of retinal health at Boehringer Ingelheim, stated, "This collaboration will help us enhance our understanding of the progression of diabetic retinopathy and the role of retinal non-perfusion, supporting the development of our portfolio in diabetic retinal diseases." The collaboration also provides Boehringer Ingelheim access to a unique biospecimen bank, accelerating research and biomarker identification. In return, Boehringer Ingelheim will share its current efforts for evidence generation to further understand DRD and support MTM Vision’s work.
Dr. S Robert Levine, founder and CEO of MTM Vision, highlighted the significance of Boehringer Ingelheim joining the consortium as a founding member. "This will significantly strengthen our efforts to catalyze the development of new methods to diagnose and treat diabetic retinal disease earlier, which may preserve vision for millions of people at risk."
Understanding Diabetic Retinal Disease
Diabetic retinal disease (DRD) encompasses all diabetes-related changes in the retina, including damage to retinal blood vessels (diabetic retinopathy or DR), swelling in the retina (diabetic macular edema or DME), restriction of blood supply to the macula (diabetic macular ischemia or DMI), and damage to retinal nerve cells (diabetic retinal neuropathy or DRN).
About the Organizations
Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company involved in both human and animal health, focusing on developing innovative therapies in areas of high unmet medical need. The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative (MTM Vision) is a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the development of new therapies to preserve and restore vision in people with diabetes. MTM Vision fosters research and global collaboration among academic institutions, research advocacy groups, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, government agencies, tech firms, philanthropists, and leaders in the entertainment industry.
