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2001 – Compound found to protect optic nerve
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, conducted a study demonstrating that vaccination with a compound normally used to treat multiple sclerosis may be able to protect the optic nerve. Professor Michal Schwartz of the Weizmann Institute’s Neurobiology Department led this research.
The synthetic compound Copaxone was found to have the ability to protect the optic nerve from the effects of toxic levels of glutamate that can be produced as a result of cell death from high intraocular pressures.
These results indicate that vaccination with Copaxone may some day be a viable treatment for people with glaucoma. Since Copaxone is already approved by the FDA, scientists are hopeful human trials can begin soon.