A review of health insurance databases has found that people taking nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) to treat HIV are almost 40% less likely to develop dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The review included the data of more than 100 million patients over two decades.

“We are extremely excited that the reduced risk was reproduced in all the databases, each with millions of patients,” said Dr Jayakrishna Ambati, a macular degeneration researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, USA. “This finding provides real hope in developing the first treatment for this blinding disease.”

An accumulation of transposable ‘Alu’ (jumping gene) RNA elements in the cytoplasm contributes to macular degeneration by destroying the retinal pigmented epithelium, but NRTI medication, including less toxic derivatives such as kamuvudines, interrupt the production of Alu, explained researchers.

“A clinical trial of these drugs is now warranted,” said Dr Ambati. “It’s also fascinating how uncovering the intricate biology of genetics and combining it with big data archaeology can propel insights into new medicines.”