It is estimated that there are over 900 rare eye diseases, and for many of them, there is no cure. One such rare eye disease is Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1), an inherited juvenile form of macular degeneration.
Caused by a mutation in the ABCA4 gene, Stargardt disease type 1 is marked by the accelerated formation and accumulation of toxic vitamin A by-products known as bisretinoids. The most prominent bisretinoid identified in human tissues is known as A2E (N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine), and its accumulation in ocular tissues causes progressive retinal cell death and permanent loss of vision. There is no approved treatment for STGD1, which is estimated to affect approximately 30,000 Americans.
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May 22, 2026 14:46 ET Minutes of the latest Fed policy session was the highlight of the week along with survey data on the U.S. housing market. In Europe, survey data signaled the trends in the euro area private sector. Further, consumer price inflation data from the U.K. was in focus. In Asia, various economic indicators from China drew attention to the health of the economy.