Universal Rare Gene Study: A Registry and Natural History Study of Retinal Dystrophies Associated With Rare Disease-Causing Genetic Variants

Launched by JAEB CENTER FOR HEALTH RESEARCH · Oct 18, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Universal Rare Gene Study is a research project aimed at understanding rare genetic causes of retinal dystrophies, like inherited retinal degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. This international study has two parts: a registry that collects genetic and clinical information from participants, and a natural history study that follows participants over time to observe how their condition progresses. Anyone aged 4 and older with specific genetic variants related to retinal dystrophies can join, as long as both eyes have been diagnosed with this condition and can be properly examined.

Participants in the study will undergo genetic screening and a series of assessments to help researchers learn more about the characteristics of their condition and how it changes over time. It’s important to note that certain health conditions and past treatments may disqualify someone from participating, so a thorough screening will be conducted. Overall, this study aims to improve understanding of these rare eye diseases and could help pave the way for better treatments in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria: Participants must meet all the following inclusion criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit to be eligible to enroll into the genetic screening phase:
• • 1. Willing to participate in the study and able to communicate consent during the consent process
• • 2. Willing and able to complete all applicable Registry/Screening Visit assessments
• • 3. Age ≥ 4 years
• 4. Must have a single gene on the RD Rare Gene List which meets one of the Genetic Screening Criteria below based on a genetic report\* from a clinically certified lab (or from a research lab which has been approved by the study Genetics Committee):
• • Inheritance Pattern is Recessive and has at least 2 disease-causing variants which are homozygous or heterozygous in trans
• • OR
• Inheritance Pattern is Recessive and has 2 disease-causing variants with unknown phase and meets all the following additional informatic criteria that is consistent with likely segregation in trans:
• • 1. Investigator confirms genotype and phenotype are consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance
• • 2. The 2 disease-causing variants have not been reported in cis in variant databases
• • 3. No additional potentially pathogenic variants were found on the gene (and the sequencing data for the gene were sufficiently robust to detect any additional potentially pathogenic variants)
• • 4. No potentially pathogenic variants were found in other common, likely candidate genes for the proposed condition
• • OR
• • Inheritance Pattern is Dominant, X-linked, or Mitochondrial and has at least 1 disease-causing variant
• Both eyes must meet the following criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit to enroll into the genetic screening phase:
• • 1. Both eyes must have a clinical diagnosis of retinal dystrophy
• • 2. Both eyes must permit good quality photographic imaging (e.g., but not limited to, clear ocular media, adequate pupil dilation, stable fixation)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• Participants must not meet any of the following exclusion criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit to be eligible to enroll into the genetic screening phase:
• • 1. History of more than 1 year of cumulative treatment, at any time, with an agent associated with pigmentary retinopathy including amiodarone, chloroquine, deferoxamine, hydroxychloroquine, pentosan polysulfate, tamoxifen, and deferoxamine Note: Since this is an observational study, pregnant women will not be specifically excluded from participation. However, minors that are pregnant shall be precluded from participation until they become the age of majority.
• Ocular Exclusion Criteria:
• If either eye has any of the following ocular exclusion criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit, then the participant is not eligible to enroll into the genetic screening phase:
• • 1. Current vitreous hemorrhage
• • 2. Current complications of pathological myopia (for example, but not limited to, myopic maculopathy including atrophy, scar, choroidal neovascularization, schisis) that could inhibit ability to obtain good quality photographic imaging
• • 3. History of intraocular surgery (for example, but not limited to, cataract surgery, vitrectomy, penetrating keratoplasty, or LASIK) within 3 months of Registry/Screening Visit
• • 4. Current or any history of confirmed diagnosis of glaucoma (for example, but not limited to, glaucomatous VF changes or nerve changes, or history of glaucoma filtering surgery)
• • 5. Current or any history of retinal vascular occlusion or proliferative diabetic retinopathy
• • 6. History or current evidence of ocular disease that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may confound assessment of visual function (for example, but not limited to, tractional or rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, any vitreoretinal surgery, retinal vascular occlusion, proliferative diabetic retinopathy)
• 7. The following medications and treatments are prohibited as they can affect progression of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The participant must not have received the following treatments:
• • Any use of ocular stem cell or gene therapy Any treatment with ocriplasmin Treatment with Ozurdex (dexamethasone), Iluvien, or Yutiq (fluocinolone acetonide) intravitreal implant
• 8. The following medications and treatments are excluded within the specified timeframe:
• • Treatment with an ophthalmic oligonucleotide within the last 9 months (last treatment date is less than 9 months prior to Registry/Screening Visit date)
• • Treatment with any other product within five times the expected half-life of the product (time from last treatment date to Registry/Screening Visit date is at least 5 times the half-life of the given product)