Universal Rare Gene Study: A Registry and Natural History Study of Retinal Dystrophies Associated With Rare Disease-Causing Genetic Variants

Last updated: June 16, 2025
Sponsor: Jaeb Center for Health Research
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Retinitis Pigmentosa

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (Ncl)

Eye Disorders/infections

Treatment

N/A

Clinical Study ID

NCT05589714
Uni-Rare
  • Ages > 4
  • All Genders

Study Summary

This is an international, multicenter study with two components:

Registry

  • A standardized genetic screening and a prospective, standardized, cross-sectional clinical data collection

  • Enrollment is open to all genes on the RD Rare Gene List

Natural History Study

  • A prospective, standardized, longitudinal Natural History Study

  • Enrollment opens gene-by-gene, based on funding and within-gene Registry enrollment The study objectives are as follows.

Registry Objectives

  1. Genotype Characterization

  2. Cross-Sectional Phenotype Characterization (within gene)

  3. Establish a Link to My Retina Tracker Registry (MRTR)

  4. Ancillary Exploratory Studies - Pooling of Genes

Natural History Study Objectives

  1. Natural History (within gene)

  2. Structure-Function Relationship (within gene)

  3. Risk Factors for Progression (within gene)

  4. Ancillary Exploratory Studies - Pooling of Genes

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria: Participants must meet all the following inclusion criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit to be eligible to enroll into the genetic screening phase:

  1. Willing to participate in the study and able to communicate consent during theconsent process

  2. Willing and able to complete all applicable Registry/Screening Visit assessments

  3. Age ≥ 4 years

  4. Must have a single gene on the RD Rare Gene List which meets one of the GeneticScreening Criteria below based on a genetic report* from a clinically certified lab (or from a research lab which has been approved by the study Genetics Committee):

Inheritance Pattern is Recessive and has at least 2 disease-causing variants which are homozygous or heterozygous in trans

OR

Inheritance Pattern is Recessive and has 2 disease-causing variants with unknown phase and meets all the following additional informatic criteria that is consistent with likely segregation in trans:

  1. Investigator confirms genotype and phenotype are consistent with autosomal recessiveinheritance

  2. The 2 disease-causing variants have not been reported in cis in variant databases

  3. No additional potentially pathogenic variants were found on the gene (and thesequencing data for the gene were sufficiently robust to detect any additionalpotentially pathogenic variants)

  4. No potentially pathogenic variants were found in other common, likely candidategenes for the proposed condition

OR

Inheritance Pattern is Dominant, X-linked, or Mitochondrial and has at least 1 disease-causing variant

Both eyes must meet the following criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit to enroll into the genetic screening phase:

  1. Both eyes must have a clinical diagnosis of retinal dystrophy

  2. Both eyes must permit good quality photographic imaging (e.g., but not limited to,clear ocular media, adequate pupil dilation, stable fixation)

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants must not meet any of the following exclusion criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit to be eligible to enroll into the genetic screening phase:

  1. History of more than 1 year of cumulative treatment, at any time, with an agentassociated with pigmentary retinopathy including amiodarone, chloroquine,deferoxamine, hydroxychloroquine, pentosan polysulfate, tamoxifen, and deferoxamineNote: Since this is an observational study, pregnant women will not be specificallyexcluded from participation. However, minors that are pregnant shall be precludedfrom participation until they become the age of majority.

Ocular Exclusion Criteria:

If either eye has any of the following ocular exclusion criteria at the Registry/Screening Visit, then the participant is not eligible to enroll into the genetic screening phase:

  1. Current vitreous hemorrhage

  2. Current complications of pathological myopia (for example, but not limited to,myopic maculopathy including atrophy, scar, choroidal neovascularization, schisis)that could inhibit ability to obtain good quality photographic imaging

  3. History of intraocular surgery (for example, but not limited to, cataract surgery,vitrectomy, penetrating keratoplasty, or LASIK) within 3 months ofRegistry/Screening Visit

  4. Current or any history of confirmed diagnosis of glaucoma (for example, but notlimited to, glaucomatous VF changes or nerve changes, or history of glaucomafiltering surgery)

  5. Current or any history of retinal vascular occlusion or proliferative diabeticretinopathy

  6. History or current evidence of ocular disease that, in the opinion of theInvestigator, may confound assessment of visual function (for example, but notlimited to, tractional or rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, any vitreoretinalsurgery, retinal vascular occlusion, proliferative diabetic retinopathy)

  7. The following medications and treatments are prohibited as they can affectprogression of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The participant must not have received thefollowing treatments: Any use of ocular stem cell or gene therapy Any treatment with ocriplasmin Treatmentwith Ozurdex (dexamethasone), Iluvien, or Yutiq (fluocinolone acetonide)intravitreal implant

  8. The following medications and treatments are excluded within the specifiedtimeframe:

Treatment with an ophthalmic oligonucleotide within the last 9 months (last treatment date is less than 9 months prior to Registry/Screening Visit date)

Treatment with any other product within five times the expected half-life of the product (time from last treatment date to Registry/Screening Visit date is at least 5 times the half-life of the given product)

Study Design

Total Participants: 1500
Study Start date:
May 11, 2023
Estimated Completion Date:
December 15, 2030

Study Description

This study includes multiple phases.

  1. Screening Phase

    The patient's current genetic report will be reviewed. Genetic testing will not be performed in this study. A prior conclusive genetic test will be assessed for screening analysis. Having at least one gene on the RD Rare Gene List meets one of the eligible Genetic Screening Criteria and other eligibility criteria can be evaluated based on medical history.

  2. Genetic Screening Phase:

    Genetic reports for participants enrolled into the genetic screening phase will be uploaded to study website for review and confirmation by Central Genetics Auditor (CGA) as meeting Genetic Screening Criteria.Participants confirmed as meeting those criteria will be considered enrolled into the Registry.

  3. Registry Phase:

    The flow of participants who are enrolled into the Registry depends on whether their causal gene is designated as a Natural History Study (NHS) Target Gene. If they are not Designated as NHS Target Gene, they will receive annual phone calls up to 48 months from the Registry/Screening visit or until the gene is designated as NHS Target Gene. If they are Designated as NHS Target Gene participants will be considered pending enrollment into the NHS.

    The Registry will establish genetically and clinically well-characterized cohorts of patients across hundreds of genetic variants associated with retinal dystrophy (RD). Characterization of these patients will accelerate eligibility screening for the Natural History Study, provide cross-sectional data on phenotype-genotype associations, and contribute to our knowledge of pathogenicity of these rare disease-causing variants.

  4. Natural History Study (NHS) Phase

Participants pending enrollment will return to the clinic for the NHS Enrollment/Baseline Visit and return to the clinic for follow-up visits.

The Natural History Study will accelerate the identification and development of sensitive, reliable outcome measures for clinical trials, which will facilitate development of treatments for retinal dystrophies due to disease-causing genetic variants. The expected impact of the Natural History Study is as follows:

  1. Describe the natural history of retinal degeneration in patients with rare disease-causing genetic variants

  2. Identify sensitive structural and functional outcome

  3. Identify well-defined subpopulations for future clinical trials of investigative treatments for rare inherited retinal degeneration

Connect with a study center

  • Centre for Eye Research Australia

    East Melbourne, Victoria
    Australia

    Active - Recruiting

  • INRET Clínica e Centro de Pesquisa

    Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 30150-270
    Brazil

    Active - Recruiting

  • INRET Clínica e Centro de Pesquisa

    Santa Efigênia, Minas Gerais
    Brazil

    Site Not Available

  • Neuro e Retina LTDA

    Belo Horizonte, Rio De Janeiro
    Brazil

    Site Not Available

  • Instituto de Genética Ocular

    São Paulo, São Paulo Province
    Brazil

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Alberta and Alberta Health Services

    Edmonton, Alberta
    Canada

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children

    Toronto, Ontario M5G 2L3
    Canada

    Active - Recruiting

  • University Health Network

    Toronto, M5T 2S8
    Canada

    Site Not Available

  • Helsinki University Hospital

    Helsinki, 00100
    Finland

    Active - Recruiting

  • CHNO des Quinze-Vingts

    Paris, 75012
    France

    Active - Recruiting

  • Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center

    Jerusalem, 9112001
    Israel

    Active - Recruiting

  • Vista Vision Eye Clinic

    Brescia, 25123
    Italy

    Active - Recruiting

  • Retina and Genomics Institute

    Yucatan, Merida
    Mexico

    Active - Recruiting

  • Radboud University Medical Center

    Nijmegen, 6525 GA
    Netherlands

    Active - Recruiting

  • Oslo University Hospital

    Oslo,
    Norway

    Site Not Available

  • University Hospital Basel

    Basel, Basel-Stadt
    Switzerland

    Active - Recruiting

  • University Hospital Jules-Gonin

    Lausanne, 1004
    Switzerland

    Site Not Available

  • University Hospital Jules-Gonin

    Lausanne,, 1004
    Switzerland

    Site Not Available

  • Moorfields Eye Hospital

    London, EC1V 2PD
    United Kingdom

    Active - Recruiting

  • Associated Retina Consultants

    Phoenix, Arizona 85020
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • University of Arkansas, Jones Eye Institute

    Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Univ. of California San Diego, Jacobs Retina Center

    La Jolla, California 92093
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • USC Roski Eye Institute

    Los Angeles, California 90033
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • University of California San Francisco

    San Francisco, California 94158
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Colorado Retina Associates

    Denver, Colorado 80207
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • University of Florida Health Jacksonville

    Jacksonville, Florida 32209
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Miami, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

    Miami, Florida 33136
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Emory University, Emory Eye Center

    Atlanta, Georgia 30322
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Johns Hopkins University, Wilmer Eye Institute

    Baltimore, Maryland 21236
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Harvard Univ., Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

    Boston, Massachusetts 02114
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Michigan, Kellogg Eye Center

    Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Mayo Clinic

    Rochester, Minnesota 55905
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Duke University, Duke Eye Center

    Durham, North Carolina 27705
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Oregon Health & Science Univ., Casey Eye Institute

    Portland, Oregon 97239
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutic

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Pennsylvania, Scheie Eye Institute

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • UPMC Eye Center

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Retina Foundation of the Southwest

    Dallas, Texas 75231
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Baylor College of Medicine, Alkek Eye Center

    Houston, Texas 77030
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Utah, John Moran Eye Center

    Salt Lake City, Utah 84132
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Wisconsin Madison

    Madison, Wisconsin 53711
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Medical College of Wisconsin Eye Institute

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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