THE FIGHT INHERITED RETINAL BLINDNESS! PROJECT: A New Treatment Outcome and Natural History Registry for Inherited

Matthew P Simunovic1,2, Anthony T Moore3,4,5, John Grigg1,2

  • 1Save Sight Institute, Sydney Eye Hospital Campus, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PubMed
Abstract

Insights

A new registry, Fight Inherited Retinal Blindness!, tracks gene therapy outcomes in inherited retinal diseases. This system collects uniform data to monitor disease progression and treatment results effectively.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Genetics
  • Bioinformatics

Background:

  • Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) encompass a group of genetic disorders leading to progressive vision loss.
  • Tracking the natural history and treatment outcomes of IRDs is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies.
  • Gene therapies offer promising treatment avenues for specific IRDs, necessitating robust data collection systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and implement a novel disease registry for monitoring inherited retinal diseases.
  • To specifically track the natural history and treatment outcomes of patients receiving approved gene therapies for IRDs.
  • To establish a standardized data collection system for inherited retinal diseases.

Main Methods:

  • A multidisciplinary committee developed the Fight Inherited Retinal Blindness! registry using a consensus approach.
  • The registry employs Human Phenotype Ontology and Monarch Disease Ontology for standardized nomenclature.
  • Web-based data entry allows for efficient collection of baseline and follow-up information.

Main Results:

  • The Fight Inherited Retinal Blindness! registry is a web-based system for collecting demographic, clinical, and genetic data.
  • Standardized nomenclature and phenotypic grouping ensure data uniformity.
  • Minimum datasets are defined for broad phenotypic groups and specific gene therapies, including voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna).
  • Data entry is streamlined, with new patient entries taking 5 minutes and follow-up data entry taking 2 minutes.

Conclusions:

  • Fight Inherited Retinal Blindness! provides an organized system for collecting uniform data on IRDs.
  • The registry facilitates the tracking of both natural disease progression and treatment outcomes.
  • This free, web-based tool empowers users with data control and supports observational studies in IRD research.