Topical human recombinant nerve growth factor for stage 1 Neurotrophic Keratitis: Retrospective case series of cenegermin treatment.

Purpose: To report on the management and effectiveness of treating patients with stage I Neurotrophic Keratitis using an 8-week course of topical recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF, cenegermin).
Observations: In this retrospective case series, punctate epithelial erosions (PEE), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and corneal sensation were followed and documented from 2 to 12 months in patients treated as per the standard of care. Clinical outcomes including changes in PEEs, corneal sensation and BCVA are reported. Most patients also had preexisting thyroid disease.
Conclusions: All patients had clinically significant improvements in PEE, and corneal sensation. Three of the four patients had a significant improvement in BCVA, one patient had no change in their pre-treatment visual acuity (BCVA 20/20) The four patients studied also reported decreased photophobia and improvements in their quality of life. This case series provides real-world evidence of the safety and efficacy of cenegermin treatment of stage I NK for all four patients.
Competing Interests: ATE is a consultant and speaker for Dompé. She has grant support from Bausch & Lomb, AimMax Therapeutics, Inc. and Sylentis, S.A.U. She is a consultant/speaker for the following companies: Novartis, Allergan/Abbvie, AMO/J&J, Bausch & Lomb, Biotissue (C), Bruder (C), Dompé, EyePoint (C), Kala Pharmaceuticals, Imprimis (C), Kala Pharmaceuticals, OTX, Oyster Point, Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals (Chief Medical Officer), SightSciences (C), SUN Ophthalmics, Tarsus, Visus (C), Zeiss (C). ATE is a Property Rights/Patent Holder for EpiGlare Tester (Hilco). JLW is a Novartis stockholder and consultant at Takeda. All authors attest that they meet the current International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria for authorship. Medical writing and editorial assistance were provided by ScienceDocs, Inc., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.
(© 2022 The Authors.)