A low-cost oral HIV medicine may offer a convenient alternative to injections for diabetic macular edema (DME), a major cause of vision loss in diabetic patients. Findings from a small clinical trial suggest that the drug lamivudine (Epivir) could significantly improve eyesight.

Key highlights

Oral pill may replace eye injections

• Researchers tested Viiv Healthcare’s HIV drug lamivudine in a group of 24 DME patients in Brazil.

• After 4 weeks, patients who took the pill showed an average improvement of 9.8 letters on an eye chart.

• In comparison, those on placebo saw a decline of 1.8 letters.

Enhanced benefits with standard therapy

• After follow-up treatment with Avastin injections, the lamivudine group improved by 16.9 letters.

• The group that only received Avastin improved by just 5.3 letters.

New mechanism may enable combo therapy

• Lamivudine works by blocking early-stage inflammation linked to DME — a different action than current treatments.

• Researchers suggest it could be used alone or alongside existing injectable therapies.

Potential for broader access

• At around $20/month, the pill could be life-changing for patients without access to specialists or costly injections.

• Study leader Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati said this could transform diabetic eye care in low-resource settings.

The study opens doors to an affordable and accessible treatment for diabetic macular edema, especially in regions with limited eye care facilities. While further trials are needed, lamivudine shows promise as a groundbreaking alternative to monthly eye injections.