Prozac® has long been used to treat depression in moderate to severe cases. Now researchers from the University of Virginia (UVA) are saying it may have the potential to treat dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition affecting nearly 200 million people worldwide and one of the leading causes of blindness. Read more about the scope of the study, its findings, and its potential benefits for the future. 

An Evolving Research Effort 

The research team, led by Bradley D. Gelfand, Ph.D., started their research on animal models before moving on to two comprehensive insurance databases containing medical information of over 100 million Americans. 

During their research, the team came to suspect that fluoxetine (the generic name for Prozac) works against AMD by binding with a particular agent of the immune system known as an inflammasome. In this specific context, the inflammasome NLRP3-ASC can cause the pigmented layer of the eye’s retina to break down. 

After discovering that fluoxetine was the only drug of nine total antidepressants tested that slowed the progression of AMD in lab mice, the team set their sights on patients over 50 in the two databases and discovered clear evidence that those taking fluoxetine had a “significantly” slower rate of developing dry AMD than their counterparts. 

What Could This Mean for Future Treatment?

Encouraged by the findings, researchers are hoping that fluoxetine and similar drugs can be “repurposed” for the use of AMD treatment: “Traditional approaches to drug development can be expensive and time-consuming: On average, a new FDA-approved drug takes 10-12 years and costs $2.8 billion to develop,” the researchers wrote. 

The team goes on to say: “Our identification of the unrecognized therapeutic activity of an existing FDA-approved drug, using big data mining, coupled with demonstrating its efficacy in a disease-relevant model, could greatly accelerate and reduce the cost of drug development.”

*Barney, J. (2021, Oct. 21) Prozac Pegged as Potential Treatment for a Leading Cause of Blindness https://newsroom.uvahealth.com/2021/10/21/prozac-pegged-as-potential-treatment-for-a-leading-cause-of-blindness/

This article was reviewed and edited for accuracy by Alan Robin, M.D., a Responsum Health Advisory Council member, ophthalmologist, glaucoma treatment specialist, and leader in the clinical management and scientific study of the disease.