Summary
Methazolamide has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Glaucoma would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Glaucoma. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 2 registered trials linking Methazolamide to Glaucoma: 1 is active or not yet recruiting; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT05498103). It plans or enrolled 30 participants. Registration activity spans 2015 to 2023. The literature layer holds 6 publications for this pair: 1 randomised controlled trial publication and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 1989 to 2024. These are primary trial reports rather than syntheses, so results have not yet been pooled or graded independently.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Glaucoma ranks 339 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Progressive optic nerve damage without treatment; average visual field loss 0.5-1.0 dB/year; blindness in 10-20% without treatment; no spontaneous recovery of lost vision.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 40.5 (trials 7.5, literature 13.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 2 total: 0 recruiting, 1 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 1 other |
| Linked publications | 6 (5 clinical trial publications, 1 randomised controlled trial publication) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ABCA1 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT05498103 | Use of Methazolamide to Lower Intraocular Pressure 2023 | active, not recruiting | Phase 4 | 30 |
| NCT02390284 | Stop Retinal Ganglion Cell Dysfunction Study 2015 | terminated | Phase 3 | 28 |
Published literature
- Clinical trial publication A Randomized Pilot Study of Four Dosing Schemes of Sublingual Methazolamide in Glaucoma PatientsTan NE, Patnaik JL, McWilliams S et al. · Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024 · PMID 39726639
- Clinical trial publication Small-incision phacotrabeculectomy versus phacoemulsification in refractory acute primary angle closure with cataractHou X, Hu D, Cui Z et al. · BMC ophthalmology · 2015 · PMID 26220093
- Clinical trial publication Methazolamide-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles modified with low-molecular weight chitosan for the treatment of glaucoma: vitro and vivo studyWang F, Chen L, Zhang D et al. · Journal of drug targeting · 2014 · PMID 25045926
- Clinical trial publication Methazolamide 1% in cyclodextrin solution lowers IOP in human ocular hypertensionGudmundsdóttir E, Stefánsson E, Bjarnadóttir G et al. · Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2000 · PMID 11006251
- Clinical trial publication Determination of methazolamide concentrations in human biological fluids using high performance liquid chromatographyIyer GR, Taft DR · Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · 1998 · PMID 9547705
- Randomized controlled trial Intraocular pressure effects of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors in primary open-angle glaucomaLichter PR, Musch DC, Medzihradsky F et al. · American journal of ophthalmology · 1989 · PMID 2643331
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCA1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Methazolamide approved for Glaucoma?
Methazolamide has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Glaucoma would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Glaucoma. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Methazolamide in clinical trials for Glaucoma?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 2 registered trials linking Methazolamide to Glaucoma: 1 is active or not yet recruiting; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT05498103). It plans or enrolled 30 participants. Registration activity spans 2015 to 2023.
What does the evidence show for Methazolamide in Glaucoma?
Trials of Methazolamide in Glaucoma are registered but none has completed, so there is no outcome evidence from those studies yet; the record is a signal of research interest. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL, in this case via the biomarker or target ABCA1. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.