Integrated Training in Dry Eye Disease Drug Development

The Integrated Training in Dry Eye Disease Drug Development (IT-DED3) is an European Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) consisting of 7 beneficiaries and 10 partner organisations that are committed to join forces and combine their expertise to deliver multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial researchers trained to develop new therapies for patients suffering from Dry Eye Diseases (DED).

Scope and objectives:

Dry Eye Disease (DED) is a major and increasing health-care problem due to its high prevalence and economic burden. Prevalence data reveals that 5 to 35% of the world adult’s population suffer from DED. This disease is more common in an older population and is three times more frequent in women (7.8% in women older than 49 versus 2.3% in males). As people are living longer, these disorders are becoming more prevalent. However, experts expect that the prevalence in the younger population will increase due to frequent computer/tablet screen usage, environmental factors and wearing of contact lenses. Currently, DED management is based on disease severity and it includes the use of tear substitutes, punctual plugs, autologous serum derivatives, anti-inflammatory therapy, and environmental strategies. 

The main objective of IT-DED3 is to deliver entrepreneurial and innovative researchers able to face future challenges and to convert new ideas into therapeutic products for DED, generating both social and economic benefits. This is possible through the integration of expertise in medicinal chemistry, process chemistry, ocular drug delivery and formulation, ocular biology, in vitro and in vivo evaluation and imaging, biomarker research and clinical ophthalmology.