SPEAK UP: ‘Optogenetics’ wins Nobel for illuminating eyes for the blind (2/2) 諾貝爾生醫獎「光遺傳」點亮盲人希望（下）

A: Apart from the 2026 Nobel Prize-winning “optogenetics” technique, University of Adelaide and University of Washington have jointly employed similar “photoswitch” injections to activate light-sensitive cells in patients with “retinitis pigmentosa” (RP).

B: WashU also announced that through “genome-wide screening,” key neuroprotective genes have been identified, potentially enabling the gene therapy for RP.

A: Are there other new treatments available?

Some cherry blossom dendrobium restored by the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute (TBRI). 生物多樣性研究所復育的櫻石斛。

Photo: TBRI 照片：生多所

B: The US National Institutes of Health developed an eye drop last year, with short peptides containing pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). It can help protect cells and slow degeneration.

A: And some Chinese medicine practitioners highly recommend boiling dendrobium stem herb to make a drink for eye nourishment. So patients might want to give it a try.

A: 除了榮獲2026年諾貝爾生醫獎的「光遺傳學」技術，阿德雷德大學和華盛頓大學也運用類似的「光開關」注射，激活「視網膜色素病變」（RP）患者感光細胞！

B: 華盛頓大學另外宣布，透過全基因體篩檢出關鍵的神經保護基因，有望開發治療RP的基因療法。

A: 還有什麼最新療法嗎？

B: 美國國家衛生研究院去年亦開發了一款眼藥水，含有來自「色素上皮衍生因子」的「色素上皮衍生因子」的短？，有助保護細胞減緩退化。

A: 也有中醫推薦熬煮石斛飲用來補眼，患者或許可以試試看。

（By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）

For your information

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Intravitreal “photoswitch” therapy in advanced retinitis pigmentosa: a phase 1 open-label trial (Nature Medicine) 晚期視網膜色素病變眼內「光開關」療法︰第1期開放性臨床試驗（自然醫學） www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04317-6