Methods and compositions of treating and/or preventing diabetic retinopathy with pericyte apoptosis inhibitors

A pharmaceutical composition which treats and/or prevents diabetic retinopathy comprising as an active agent a therapeutically effective amount of at least one inhibitor of retinal pericyte apoptosis and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of identifying compounds capable of preventing or treating diabetic retinopathy comprising:

• contacting a pericyte culture treated with AGE with a compound to be tested;
• and
• evaluating apoptosis of pericytes in the culture to determine capacity of said compound to prevent or treat diabetic retinopathy.