Developers of the world's first drug that prevents cataract are now set to test it on humans after animal trials proved it can slow down clouding of the eye's lens.

The still unnamed drug developed by a team led by Prof. Andrew Abell of the University of Adelaide may eliminate the need for surgical removal of cataracts, which threaten to blind about 1.5 million Australians. Worldwide, 18 million people are blind from cataract, according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

"By using the drug early, you could slow their (cataract) development so much it would not actually develop," Adeaidenow.com quoted Abell as saying. "We believe we can delay the need for surgery for a number of years to the point where people may never need surgery."

More than 200,000 cataract operations are performed in Australia every year.

In 2005, Abell and researchers from New Zealand's University of Canterbury identified the protein calpain as the culprit in the growth of cataract, which prevents light from passing through the lens.

Calpain breaks down the major lens protein called crystallins. By inhibiting calpain activity, cataract formation is prevented.
The calpain inhibitor may be in the form of an eye drop or cream that can be applied before sleeping.

Abell and colleague Dr. Tim Lovell, former business development manager at Bio Innovation SA in Adelaide, have formed a company, Calpain Therapeutics, to commercially produce the drug. The company is

a business competition of the University of Queensland Business School's Enterprize to get a $100,000 grant to fund the human trials.

Cataracts form as people grow old. It is also caused by diabetes, eye injury, smoking, drinking, exposure to ultraviolet light from sunlight, and long-term use of steroid medication.

Prof. Andrew Abell is from the University of Adelaide.