Extension, Carbidopa-levodopa in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

September 10, 2025 updated by: Snyder, Robert W., M.D., Ph.D., P.C.

Extension of Protocol 002, Carbidopa-levodopa in Neovascular Extension of Protocol 002, Carbidopa-levodopa in Neovascular AMD

This protocol is an extension of protocol 0002, Proof of Concept and Dose Ranging Study of carbidopa-levodopa in Neovascular AMD. that is a 3 month study of escalating doses of carbidopa-levodopa in neovascular AMD. This trial is a 9 month extension for patients who successfully complete protocol 0002 and wish to continue carbidopa-levodopa therapy. It will use the two higher dose regimens of protocol 0002. these will be assigned according to how well the higher dose was tolerated in protocol 0002.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This extension will employ the same medications, measurements, guidelines for anti-VEGF injections and safeguards as in protocol 0002. In combination with protocol 0002, it will provide a total of 12 months of therapy with carbidopa-levodopa.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

35

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Arizona
      • Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85712
        • Robert W Snyder, MD, PhD, PC

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Completion of Protocol 002.
  2. A diagnosis of AMd with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in 1 eye.
  3. Normal or Dry AMD of any grade in the second eye.
  4. Age 50-85 years.
  5. Willingness to maintain AREDS vitamin Supplements throughout the study, or remain off of these supplements for the duration of the study, if not taking them prior to the study.
  6. Informed consent at visit 1, which is also Visit 5 of study 002.

Exclusion criteria:

  1. Any current use of L-DOPA containing medication or dopamine agonist medication, or any planned use of any of these agents, except for study medication, during the study;
  2. Concurrent use of monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors;
  3. Any eye condition, disease, or history of trauma in either eye, which can impair vision, except cataract or cataract surgery;
  4. BCVA worse than 20/60 in the better eye;
  5. Wet AMD in the second eye;
  6. Neurologic conditions which can impair vision;
  7. Parkinson's Disease;
  8. Significant orthostatic hypotension, defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure, immediately upon changing from the supine to standing position, of >19 mmHg, or a symptomatic drop in systolic blood pressure, immediately upon changing from the supine to standing position;
  9. Significant ECG abnormalities, as judged by the Investigator;
  10. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <20 ml/min;
  11. Liver enzymes >3 X the upper limit of normal;
  12. HbA1C >9.0;
  13. Any other significant lab abnormalities, as judged by the Investigator.
  14. Women of childbearing potential;
  15. Known retinal hemorrhage;
  16. Subjects who are not fluent in English.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Carbidopa/levodopa high dose
carbidopa-levodopa 25-100 mg 2 tablets TID
High Dose: daily oral administration 2 tablets TID Intermediate Dose: daily oral administration 1 tablet TID
Other Names:
  • Sinemet

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Best Corrected Visual Acuity by ETDRS Visual Scale Testing
Time Frame: From the start of the study (Visit 1) to the last completed visit, whether due to patient withdrawal, patient death or the completion of the last visit of the study (visit 12), a maximum of 9 months following a 3 month enrollment in NCT03023059.
This outcome is a measure of letters correctly identified using an Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart. The higher the number of letters identified, the better the participant's visual acuity.
From the start of the study (Visit 1) to the last completed visit, whether due to patient withdrawal, patient death or the completion of the last visit of the study (visit 12), a maximum of 9 months following a 3 month enrollment in NCT03023059.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Adverse Events Experienced
Time Frame: Monthly for 9 months
Adverse events elicited by nonspecific questioning
Monthly for 9 months
Change in Central Retinal (Macular) Thickness
Time Frame: From the start of the study (Visit 1) to the last completed visit, whether due to patient withdrawal, patient death or the completion of the last visit of the study, a maximum of 9 months.
Central retinal thickness (in microns) is measured by spectral domain-optical coherence tomography. An increase in retinal thickness is associated with disease progression. A negative value represents a decrease in retinal thickness and therefore a positive clinical outcome measure.
From the start of the study (Visit 1) to the last completed visit, whether due to patient withdrawal, patient death or the completion of the last visit of the study, a maximum of 9 months.
Percent Change in Retinal Fluid From Baseline
Time Frame: From the start of the study (Visit 1) to the last completed visit, whether due to patient withdrawal, patient death or the completion of the last visit of the study, (visit 10), a maximum of 9 months.
Retinal fluid changes on direct retinal examination on spectral domain - optical coherence tomography. Changes in retinal fluid were compared to baseline values. A negative percentage point represents a decrease in retinal fluid and therefore a positive clinical outcome.
From the start of the study (Visit 1) to the last completed visit, whether due to patient withdrawal, patient death or the completion of the last visit of the study, (visit 10), a maximum of 9 months.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Robert W Snyder, MD, PhD, Robert W Snyder

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

August 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 9, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

July 9, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 19, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 21, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

June 23, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

September 12, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 10, 2025

Last Verified

September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 0003

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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