Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, affects many children worldwide. It’s a condition where distant objects appear blurry while close-up objects remain clear. Genetics and lifestyle factors contribute to its development. To manage myopia, our novel drug 7-MX (a caffeine metabolite) has shown promise in reducing myopia progression in children. 

Our research has found that 7-MX is a safe and well-tolerated drug, and its potential to reduce myopia progression in children is very promising. As a novel drug, 7-MX’s antagonism of adenosine receptors and its potential to slow myopia progression make it an intriguing candidate for myopia control. 

This benefits young eyes and their long-term health.

EVENTS

CPHI 2023

Asia Bio 2023

CPHI 2023

Press Releases

November 23, 2023

Dr. Trier with Prof. Zeng, a renowned myopia researcher from China, at the EVER 2023 conference in València, Spain, October 26-28

At the EVER meeting in València, Spain, Dr. Klaus Trier was invited to talk at the myopia control session. Dr. Trier presented the latest analysis of data from 757 myopic children demonstrating high efficacy of 7-MX. For example, in children aged  7-10 and with less than 4 diopter myopia, the estimated effect of taking 2.5 of the current tablet per day is 1.71 diopter less myopia progression and 0.64 mm less eye elongation over six years.

In the ensuing debate, Dr. Trier stated that after several clinical trials have failed to show significant effect of low-concentration atropine eyedrops, 7-MX may be the only effective pharmaceutical for myopia control in current use.

The efficacy of optical devices designed to control myopia progression is insufficient, especially for children aged 7-10 years who are at risk of developing high myopia (more than 6 diopters), and it is therefore essential to develop an effective pharmaceutical myopia control treatment. 7-MX has been shown to be effective, safe and without side-effects and is therefore a good candidate.

January 31, 2023

Featured in a second peer-reviewed publication in the International Journal of Ophthalmology. Read our latest article on the “Role of 7-methylxanthine in myopia prevention and control: a mini-review

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August 18, 2022

Exciting news! Theialife is pleased to announce the first-in-class drug for Myopia control in Children – an unmet need. Please find the article released in the coveted British Journal of Ophthalmology.

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7-MX: Published Research by Theialife

  1. Harjeet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sunil Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Arvinder Kaur, Satwinderjeet Kaur, Sandeep Kaur, Nikhil Shri Sahajpal, Alka Chaubey, Navid Reza Shahtaghi, Inderjeet Kaur & Subheet Kumar Jain (2023): Genotoxic and mutagenic potential of 7- methylxanthine: an investigational drug molecule for the treatment of myopia, Drug and Chemical Toxicology, DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2022.2164011 https://doi.org/10.1080/01480545.2022.2164011
  2. Harjeet Singh, Nikhil Shri Sahajpal, Harmanpreet Singh, Vanita Vanita, Partha Roy, Surinder Paul, Shashank Kumar Singh, Inderjit Kaur & Subheet Kumar Jain (2019): Preclinical and cellular toxicity evaluation of 7-methylxanthine: an investigational drug for the treatment of myopia, Drug and Chemical Toxicology, DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2019.1635615 https://doi.org/10.1080/01480545.2019.1635615
  3. Harjeet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Nikhil Shri Sahajpal, Surinder Paul, Inderjit Kaur & Subheet Kumar Jain (2022) Sub-chronic and chronic toxicity evaluation of 7-methylxanthine: a new molecule for the treatment of myopia, Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 45:3, 1383-1394, DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2020.1833904 https://doi.org/10.1080/01480545.2020.1833904
  4. Nie HH, Huo LJ, Yang X, Gao ZY, Zeng JW, Trier K, Cui DM. Effects of 7-methylxanthine on form-deprivation myopia in pigmented rabbits. Int J Ophthalmol. 2012;5(2):133-7. 
    http://www.ijo.cn/gjyken/ch/reader/view_abstract.aspx?file_no=201202003&flag=1
  5. Trier K, Olsen EB, Kobayashi T, et al RVO (The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) sclera after treatment with 7-methylxanthine, theobromine, acetazolamide, or l-ornithine. British Journal of Ophthalmology 1999;83:1370-1375. https://bjo.bmj.com/content/83/12/1370.info
  6. Trier, K., Munk Ribel-Madsen, S., Cui, D. et al. Systemic 7-methylxanthine in retarding axial eye growth and myopia progression: a 36-month pilot study. j ocul biol dis inform 1, 85 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12177-008-9013-3
  7. Wan W, Cui D, Trier K, Zeng J. Effect of 7-methylxanthine on human retinal pigment epithelium cells cultured in vitro. Mol Vis. 2017 Dec 25;23:1006-1014. PMID: 29386874; PMCID: PMC5757859. http://www.molvis.org/molvis/v23/1006/
  8. Li-Fang Hung, Baskar Arumugam, Lisa Ostrin, Nimesh Patel, Klaus Trier, Monica Jong, Earl L. Smith III; The Adenosine Receptor Antagonist, 7-Methylxanthine, Alters Emmetropizing Responses in Infant Macaques. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2018;59(1):472-486. doi: https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.17-22337.
  9. Trier K; Cui D; , Ribel-Madsen SM. 17th International Myopia Conference Tokyo, September 12-15, 2019 Abstract: 7-methylxanthine (7-MX) for myopia control – five-year data
    Trier Research Laboratories, Hellerup, Denmark, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
    Clinical Trial.gov NCT00263471, 7-MX for myopia control is available in Denmark. More than 1,000 children and adolescents have taken the treatment since 2009. No side effects reported.
  10. Cristaldi, M.; Olivieri, M.; Pezzino, S.; Spampinato, G.; Lupo, G.; Anfuso, C.D.; Rusciano, D. Atropine Differentially Modulates ECM Production by Ocular Fibroblasts, and Its Ocular Surface Toxicity Is Blunted by Colostrum. Biomedicines 2020, 8, 78.
    https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines8040078
  11. Liu, H., Schaeffel, F., Trier, K., & Feldkaemper, M. (2020). Effects of 7-methylxanthine on deprivation myopia and retinal dopamine release in chickens. Ophthalmic Research, 63(3), 347-357. https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/502529
  12. Fan Y, Li J, Huang L, Wang K, Zhao M: 7-Methylxanthine Influences the Behavior of ADORA2A-DRD2 Heterodimers in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells. Ophthalmic Res 2022. doi: 10.1159/000525563 https://doi.org/10.1159/000525563
  13. Cui D, Trier K, Zeng J, Wu K, Yu M, Hu J, Chen X, Ge J. Effects of 7-methylxanthine on the sclera in form deprivation myopia in guinea pigs. Acta Ophthalmol. 2011 Jun;89(4):328-34. https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/502529
  14. ARVO (The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) Annual meeting 2020 Abstract Number: 1136 Authors: Safal Khanal , Thomas T. Norton , Timothy Gawne Optometry and Vision Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States; https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2769484
  15. Trier K, Cui D, Ribel-Madsen S, et al. Oral administration of caffeine metabolite 7-methylxanthine is associated with slowed myopia progression in Danish children
    British Journal of Ophthalmology Published Online First: 22 August 2022. doi: 10.1136/bjo-2021-320920
    Follow on Clinical Trial: Clinical experience in Denmark of controlling paediatric Myopia progression in Children. 1171 patients treated by Dr. Klaus Trier, MD Ophthalmology using our novel drug 7 Methyl Xanthine.
    No adverse effects were reported during this period to the Danish Medicines Agency (“DMA”). https://bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2022/07/18/bjo-2021-320920