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King’s Ophthalmology Research Unit (KORU)

The King’s Ophthalmology Research Unit (KORU) is based at King’s College Hospital, and led by Professor Tim Jackson.

Our research areas include three leading causes of sight loss:

  • age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
  • glaucoma
  • diabetic retinopathy

The team is at the forefront of several cutting-edge eye research trials. This includes a number of pioneering endeavours such as retinal implants (bionic eyes) and robotic stereotactic radiotherapy.

We run a large number of both investigator-initiated and commercial clinical trials, and lead large multicentre national and international randomised controlled trials.

Contact the team to find out more: [email protected]

Our research

Many of the treatments we rely on today would never have emerged without clinical trials. Our trials enable our patients to access cutting-edge treatments that will often not be available across the broader NHS for several years.

Our eye research unit leads some of the largest retinal clinical trials in the UK.

Current studies we are recruiting to

COMBAT

Clinical- and cost-effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of combined phacovitrectomy, versus sequential vitrectomy and cataract surgery, for the management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. A randomised equivalence clinical trial.

DAME

Treatment of severe diabetic macular oedema with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy versus treatment with anti-VEGF followed by subthreshold micropulse laser when the thickness of the central retina goes below 400 microns. A pragmatic randomised equivalence trial.

EVERLAST

A nationwide clinical trial for patients with the eye condition vitreous haemorrhage due to proliferative diabetic retinopathy, investigating whether early eye surgery and laser treatment is a safe and better option for improving visual outcomes than the current standard of care.

GALAXY

A phase 2 multicentre, randomised, double-masked, sham-controlled, reference-arm study to evaluate efficacy and safety of ONL1204 in patients with geographic atrophy (GA) associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

iSight 2

Microcurrent stimulation therapy for intermediate to advanced nonexudative age-related macular degeneration. A multicentre, randomised, sham-controlled, double-masked, clinical device trial.

IIH

Cerebrospinal fluid shunting or dural venous sinus stenting to preserve vision in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).

LIGHT TOUCH

A multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial testing the non-inferiority of a lighter to the standard initial dosing regimen of faricimab in patients with pretreated neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

NOVEL ERG HCQ

Novel electroretinography devices to detect hydroxychloroquine retinopathy: study protocol for a diagnostic accuracy and feasibility study.

THULITE

A randomised, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of oral BI 1815368 in participants with centre-involved diabetic macular edema for 48 weeks of treatment.

TIGER

This is an investigator-led trial for which Professor Tim Jackson is Chief Investigator. A €2m grant was awarded from Euretina and Fight for Sight to run this pan-European study comparing surgical with non-surgical treatment of submacular haemorrhage in AMD.

Recent studies that have closed to recruitment or are in follow-up

ARCHER II

A study investigating the efficacy and safety of intravitreal (IVT) injections of vonaprument (formerly ANX007) in participants with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with geographic atrophy.

CiFAR

A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of iptacopan (LNP023) in complement 3 glomerulopathy.

GEM

The gasless macular hole surgery (GEM) feasibility study is a randomised controlled trial comparing gasless macular hole repair to standard vitrectomy with gas.

INSITE DME

Treat and extend versus fixed dosing with faricimab for management of diabetic macular edema. A pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

NAMinG

The NAMinG trial (Nicotinamide in Glaucoma) is a randomised, phase 3 clinical trial evaluating whether high-dose oral vitamin B3 (nicotinamide or NAM) can slow vision loss in glaucoma patients. It tests the hypothesis that boosting mitochondrial function with NAM protects retinal nerve cells from damage.

PORTAL

A multicentre, open-label extension study to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of the port delivery system with ranibizumab in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

The team

The team includes consultants, research fellows, trial managers and clinical trial co-ordinators. They work together to promote and maintain ophthalmology clinical trial activities according to regulatory requirements.

Consultants

Research staff

  • Riti Desai, Ophthalmology Research Manager
  • Noimot Timson, Clinical Research Practitioner
  • Lisa Ramazzotto, Trial Manager
  • Evangelos Kougiouris, Senior Clinical Trials Co-ordinator
  • Damilola Ayemojuba, Clinical Trials Co-ordinator
  • Stefan Dixon, Research Administrator
  • Olivia Cundy, Clinical Research Fellow
  • Benjamin Griffin, Clinical Research Fellow
  • Nikhil Jain, Clinical Research Fellow

Contact us

If you would like to take part in ophthalmology research at King’s College Hospital, please contact the team at [email protected]