Study to Assess Efficacy,Safety and Tolerability of Idebenone in the Treatment of Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

A Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Idebenone in the Treatment of Patients With Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

This study is meant to assess the effectiveness of idebenone on visual function measures in patients with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy over a 6 months period.

The study involves 6 clinic visits.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age > or = 14 years and < 65 years
• Impaired visual acuity in at least one eye due to LHON
• Onset of visual loss due to LHON lies five years or less prior to Baseline
• Confirmation of either G11778A, T14484C or G3460A LHON mtDNA mutations at >60% in blood
• No explanation for the visual failure besides LHON
• Body weight ≥ 45 kg
• Negative urine pregnancy test at Screening and at Baseline (women of childbearing potential).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Treatment with Coenzyme Q10 or idebenone within 1 month prior to Baseline
• Pregnancy and/or breast-feeding
• Weekly alcohol intake 35 units (men) or 24 units (women)
• Current drug abuse
• Clinically significant abnormalities of clinical haematology or biochemistry including, but not limited to, elevations greater than 2 times the upper limit of normal of AST, ALT or creatinine
• Participation in another clinical trial of any investigational drug within 3 months prior to Baseline
• Other factor that, in the investigator's opinion, excludes the patient from entering the study