Study identifies α-MSH as therapeutic candidate for corneal endothelial disease

Findings from a pioneering study in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier, reveal that administration of the neuropeptide α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) promotes corneal healing and restores normal eye function to an otherwise degenerating and diseased cornea by providing protection against cell death and promoting cell regeneration.

Due to a lack of currently available medical therapy, patients suffering from corneal endothelial disease, which leads to corneal swelling and potentially blindness, commonly require corneal transplantation. In…