Victorians now have greater access to new, cutting-edge clinical trials for vision therapies following the launch of Cerulea Clinical Trials. 

The centre – supported by a $10 million investment from Breakthrough Victoria – is expected to deliver clinical trials to more than 2500 Victorians a year over the next decade and create 50 new jobs. 

Cerulea was launched on 20 May – World Clinical Trials Day – by Victorian Deputy Premier the Hon. Ben Carroll. 

A fully owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of CERA, Cerulea Clinical Trials is specialising in advanced therapeutics to prevent and treat blindness, including gene and cell therapies, biologics and medical devices. 

It is testing new therapies for eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, inherited retinal disease and other rare genetic eye conditions – with a major focus on trialling new therapies for diseases that currently have no treatment or cure. 

Cerulea will also boost local research, ensuring that new eye treatments and devices developed in Australia are trialled here where they can benefit local patients first. 

Better access 

Cerulea Clinical Trials Chair and CERA Managing Director, Professor Keith Martin, says the new centre will harness the growing investment in the global ophthalmic research market to bring more clinical trials to Australia. 

“Our aim is to build a specialist clinical trial centre that cements Victoria’s reputation as a world leader in preventing blindness and reducing the impact of vision loss,’’ he says. 

“It will also support the work of lab-based scientists to develop innovative new treatments to prevent vision loss and restore sight. 

“Local eye care professionals will be able to improve the quality of care they provide to their patients by providing them access to emerging treatments in clinical trials.’’ 

This story was originally published in Share our vision: Annual Review 2024.