Appeal No. 1997-3135
Application 08/208,497
Abelson reports that topical administration of the calcium channel blocker Verapamil
elicited a significant and sustained reduction of intraocular pressure in human subjects with
ocular hypertension. According to Abelson, this finding is supported by a previous study
where oral administration of the calcium channel blocker Nitrendipine caused a significant
drop in intraocular pressure. See Abelson, page 157, left-hand column, last paragraph,
referring to Monica et al. “the effect of a calcium-channel blocking agent on intraocular
pressure,” American Journal of Ophthalmology, 96:814 (1983). On the other hand,
1
Abelson acknowledges that his results conflict with those of Beatty and Associates, who
found a slight increase in pressure (1 or 2mm Hg) in humans who had received topical
Verapamil. See Abelson's discussion of the Beatty reference at page 155, right-hand
column, first full paragraph; and the paragraph bridging pages 157-58. Abelson also
discloses that Diltiazem, another calcium channel blocker, did not lower intraocular
pressure in a pilot study of ten ocular hypertensive subjects (unpublished data). See
Abelson, page 158, left-hand column, last full paragraph.
In sum, Abelson does not disclose using calcium channel blockers, generically, for
treating glaucoma. According to Abelson, the topical administration of Verapamil elicited
a significant and sustained reduction of intraocular pressure in human subjects with ocular
1Beatty et al., “Elevation of intraocular pressure by calcium channel blockers,” Arch.
Ophthalmol., 102:1072 (1984).
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