There are about 1320 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Saudi Arabia. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
The research group has developed new ocular drug delivery technology based on cyclodextrin nanoparticles (NP). The investigators plan to develop and test this technology to help treat diabetic macular edema (DME). An important step in research was the invention of cyclodextrin nanoparticles, which has just received a US patent. The investigators pre-clinical and clinical work has demonstrated the investigators eye drop suspension with cyclodextrin nano-particles to be superior to conventional eye drops. They increase drug absorbance into the eye and decrease systematic distribution of the drug, hence reducing side effects. Cyclodextrin nanoparticle eye drops deliver drugs to the posterior part of the eye, thus solving one of the biggest obstacles in ocular pharmacology.
Liver disease is a common medical problem in Saudi Arabia. Early studies indicated that around 10% of the Saudi population is either infected with hepatitis B or C. An estimated 12% of chronic HCV and HBV patients undergoing liver biopsy from Saudi centers have cirrhosis. Of these 3-5% would decompensate yearly thereby requiring liver transplantation. Based on the most recent national census figures, and a 1-2% prevalence rate of HBV and HCV nationwide, an estimated 1,000 patients would require liver transplantation on a yearly basis for decompensated cirrhosis. Liver transplantation is the only available life saving treatment for patients with end stage liver disease. Unfortunately less than 100 liver transplantations are performed in Saudi Arabia in three centers. Around 100 other patients travel abroad for transplantation annually while all other patients progressively deteriorate and eventually die from the complications of decompensated liver cirrhosis. In addition, even in patients who are listed for liver transplantation, often patients are too sick to wait on the transplant list that often takes more than a year and the on-list mortality is high. A procedure or an intervention that may help to stabilize liver function in order to help patients survive on the transplant list while awaiting liver transplantation would be of immense benefit. Examples of such interventions are already approved and used in some centers like the MARS system.