Neurotrophic Keratitis clinical trials at UCLA

Neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) is a condition in which patients have fewer or complete absence of nerves in the cornea, characterized by the reduced or absent corneal sensation. The lack of nerves in the cornea also result in damages of the cornea and in severe situation the loss of the eye. Cenegermin (trade name Oxervate) is a nerve growth factor eye drops designed to treat NK, and currently, it is the only FDA-approved medication for this purpose. Even though cenegermin is effective in the majority of patients, there is a lack of understanding of how cenegermin works in the eye. In this study, investigators aim to determine the structural and functional effects of cenegermin on the cornea, using non-invasive technologies including in vivo confocal microscopy on study participants with NK over the course of a year.