A crucial event in many degenerative retinopathies is the triggering of a molecular cascade that brings about the death of key neuronal cells. This “active” form of cell death, referred to as “apoptosis”, has been well documented in retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma and is consequently the focus of numerous therapeutic investigations aimed at inhibiting such final degenerative steps. In a recent collaboration between the University of Birmingham’s School of Clinical & Experimental Medicine and Quark Pharmaceuticals, a Californian and Israeli based biotech company, researchers have reported successful results of an anti-apoptotic treatment designed to halt retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in animal models. RGC death, resulting in vision loss and blindness, has been associated with several ocular pathologies including ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) and glaucoma. If predictive of what might also be achieved in human eyes the results provide significant promise for Quark’s clinical studies using the same therapeutic approach.