A team from Frimley Health is leading the way in a pioneering research study hoping to find a breakthrough for treating thyroid eye disease (TED). 

Symptoms of the debilitating disease may include bulging eyes, redness, swelling and pain, and double or blurry vision. 

“TED can affect your life in many adverse ways, from things as simple as watching TV or reading, to affecting your ability to work and to drive,” said Anuradha Jayaprakasam, consultant ophthalmologist. “In the most severe cases, it can lead to visual loss, if left untreated.” 

Dr Jayaprakasam set up a dedicated TED clinic in 2016 to provide holistic eye care in a one-stop clinic for Frimley Health patients. She is the principal investigator for the LIDS trial being run at the Trust, studying the ability of oral drug linsitinib to tackle the disease. 

Since the trial began last year, Frimley Health has been one of the top two recruiting sites out of 35 centres worldwide. Patients are referred to the TED clinic by other eye doctors or endocrinologists, doctors who specialise in diagnosing and treating health conditions related to problems with the body’s hormones, such as thyroid diseases. Dr Aye Naing, consultant endocrinologist, who has worked at Frimley Park Hospital since 2017, is also an investigator in the study. 

Patients attending the clinic have the option of enlisting in the LIDS study or receive existing medical treatments such as infusions of intravenous steroids. These treatments can be effective, but are not targeted and have unwanted side effects. 

Dr Jayaprakasam said she liked being able to offer a daily tablet option, rather than hospital attendances and more invasive procedures such as IV infusions. 

“I was keen to be involved in this study and potentially change the course of this often-devastating disease for patients,” she said. 

As well as causing discomfort and irritation, TED can also change a sufferer’s physical appearance to the point of affecting mental health, leading to feelings of depression and a loss of self-worth. 

“Of course, we will have to wait to see the results, but it is exciting to be involved in a study which, if effective, could entirely change the way we manage this condition in the future,” added Dr Jayaprakasam. 

The company that developed the linsitinib drug, American-based Sling Therapeutics, visited Frimley Park Hospital recently to congratulate the team for its successful study recruitment.  

“We get to visit hospitals all over the world and we’re really impressed by what we’ve seen here,” said company CEO Ryan Zeidan. “It has been a pleasure working with Dr Jayaprakasam and her dedicated and experienced team on the LIDS clinical trial. Their commitment to ensuring the highest quality of care to patients is apparent, and they have been one of our top performing sites throughout the entirety of the study.” 

Pictured are Frimley CRPs Arvin Teves and Reynette Baroman, with Dr Anuradha Jayaprakasam, Sling Therapeutics’ chief medical officer Jeff Kent and CEO Ryan Zeidan.