Spring Break
UMKC doctor brings future of eye treatment into focus
Greg Vandas
Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: News
The scientific revolution does not end there. Mitra also invented a gelatinous polymer that, when combined with his drug, operates on a subatomic level to substantially increase the drug's local effectiveness.
Time-release capabilities are made possible because the polymer can maintain the presence of drugs in the eye for months, allowing patients to apply the drops less often.
As a result, Mitra believes the final cost of his treatment will be significantly lower than costs for other options, although no figures have been officially determined.
On the contrary, the scope of his cure is expected to be greater than that of any previous method.
"For now, we are just treating about 20 to 30 patients [with the medicine]," he said, "but we hope to soon complete the patent process, and then be able to treat hundreds of patients."
Diseases specifically targeted by Mitra's research include cytomegalovirus retinitis and a variety of macular problems.
Dr. Mitra graduated from Jadavpur University in Calcutta, India in 1974, earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Kansas in 1983 and taught at Purdue University before coming to UMKC's School of Pharmacy in 1994. His current research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and private organizations.
gvandas@unews.com
Time-release capabilities are made possible because the polymer can maintain the presence of drugs in the eye for months, allowing patients to apply the drops less often.
As a result, Mitra believes the final cost of his treatment will be significantly lower than costs for other options, although no figures have been officially determined.
On the contrary, the scope of his cure is expected to be greater than that of any previous method.
"For now, we are just treating about 20 to 30 patients [with the medicine]," he said, "but we hope to soon complete the patent process, and then be able to treat hundreds of patients."
Diseases specifically targeted by Mitra's research include cytomegalovirus retinitis and a variety of macular problems.
Dr. Mitra graduated from Jadavpur University in Calcutta, India in 1974, earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Kansas in 1983 and taught at Purdue University before coming to UMKC's School of Pharmacy in 1994. His current research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and private organizations.
gvandas@unews.com
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