Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Prem Patel, Veeral Sheth
Summary: AMD is a common cause of vision loss, with two main types, neovascular and non-neovascular, treated primarily through inhibition of VEGF. Discrepancies between clinical trial results and real-world outcomes exist, indicating the potential for new treatments to improve therapeutic efficacy.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Alaa Din Abdin, Wissam Aljundi, Khalil El Jawhari, Shady Suffo, Isabel Weinstein, Berthold Seitz
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the morphological and functional outcomes of intravitreal brolucizumab treatment for refractory neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in the first year. Results showed that brolucizumab could stabilize visual acuity and reduce the number of injections. It also improved anatomical outcomes by reducing subretinal fluid and pigment epithelial detachment. However, adverse events such as intraocular inflammation were observed.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Nicole Eter, Zoran Hasanbasic, Georgios Keramas, Christine Rech, Helmut Sachs, Harald Schilling, Joachim Wachtlin, Peter Wiedemann, Carsten Framme
Summary: In this study in Germany, regular intravitreal aflibercept injections resulted in better visual outcomes at 24 months for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration compared to irregular treatment. However, only a minority of patients received regular treatment over a 2-year period.
GRAEFES ARCHIVE FOR CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Angelo Maria Minnella, Chiara Centini, Gloria Gambini, Maria Cristina Savastano, Valeria Pagliei, Benedetto Falsini, Stanislao Rizzo, Gabriele Ciasca, Martina Maceroni
Summary: This study investigated the choroidal thickness (CT) changes after intravitreal aflibercept injections in treatment-naive patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The results showed a significant reduction in CT at days 15, 90, and 365 compared to baseline, with the major reduction observed at day 15 and in eyes with thicker choroid at baseline. There was no significant correlation between CT variation and the number of injections performed. These findings contribute to understanding the role of aflibercept injections in choroidal vasculature and suggest that CT can serve as a potential biomarker.
ADVANCES IN THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Tingting Sun, Qingquan Wei, Peng Gao, Yongjie Zhang, Qing Peng
Summary: The study investigated cytokine and chemokines profiling in the aqueous humor of nAMD patients, finding lower levels of basic fibroblast growth factor and RANTES, and higher levels of VEGF-A compared to the control group. After IVR treatment, levels of Eotaxin increased while VEGF-A decreased in nAMD patients.
DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Wen Fan, Shasha Li, Juan Tao, Chenyang Yu, Meng Sun, Zhan Xie, Xinjing Wu, Liang Ge, Yiqun Wu, Yuanfen Liu
Summary: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of global blindness, with neovascular form of AMD (nAMD) being responsible for severe visual loss and legal blindness. Conbercept, a Chinese-developed drug, has shown potential for nAMD treatment. The use of a short chain peptide for controlled drug release has been designed to enhance the efficacy of treatment. In vitro experiments have demonstrated the biocompatibility of the peptide and its ability to reduce cell proliferation and tube formation induced by VEGF, indicating its potential for nAMD treatment.
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Daniel S. Pereira, Kazumasa Akita, Robert B. Bhisitkul, Toshiaki Nishihata, Yusuf Ali, Emiko Nakamura, Yoshikazu Nakamura
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a single-dose intravitreal umedaptanib pegol for the treatment of refractory neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The results showed that umedaptanib pegol was safe and well tolerated, with improvements in retinal fluid observed in most subjects. The study indicated that intravitreal umedaptanib pegol may be an effective and safe treatment for nAMD patients who do not respond to anti-VEGF therapy.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Slawomir Liberski, Malgorzata Wichrowska, Jaroslaw Kociecki
Summary: Diabetic macular edema and neovascular age-related macular degeneration are common causes of blindness in developed countries. Current treatment with anti-VEGF agents has limitations, necessitating the development of new therapeutic methods. The Ang/Tie-2 pathway and the use of faricimab as a bispecific monoclonal antibody show promise in improving disease management and reducing treatment burden.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Abdulkadir Alis, Meryem Guler Alis
Summary: Aflibercept treatment can have a long-term impact on choroidal thickness, reducing it and affecting both luminal and stromal areas of the choroid, but does not alter the choroidal vascularity index. However, as the number of injections increases, the choroidal vascularity index decreases.
PHOTODIAGNOSIS AND PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Hisashi Matsubara, Ryunosuke Nagashima, Shinichiro Chujo, Yoshitsugu Matsui, Kumiko Kato, Manami Kuze, Mineo Kondo
Summary: Intraocular inflammations have been reported after intravitreal injections of brolucizumab. This study evaluated the effects of aflibercept, brolucizumab, and faricimab on anterior chamber inflammation and retinal function in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The results suggest that high molar doses of brolucizumab may cause transient retinal disturbances.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
Reinhard Angermann, Alexander Franchi, Victoria Stoeckl, Julia Rettenwander, Tanja Rettenwander, David Goldin, Martin Stattin, Martina T. Kralinger, Claus Zehetner
Summary: This study evaluated the visual and anatomical outcomes of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) who were nonpersistent to intravitreal aflibercept therapy. The results showed that the nonpersistent group had significantly worse visual acuity and a higher risk of developing fovea-involving fibrosis compared to the persistent group within 3 years.
OPHTHALMOLOGY AND THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Nicola Ferrante, Daniela Ritrovato, Rossella Bitonti, Gianluca Furneri
Summary: The study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of brolucizumab in treating neovascular AMD, showing its superiority over aflibercept in both base-case and alternative scenarios. Treatment with brolucizumab reduces the economic burden on patients and improves quality-adjusted survival.
BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ophthalmology
Reinhard Angermann, Anna Lena Huber, Yvonne Nowosielski, Stefan Salcher, Thomas Gasser, Christof Seifarth, Martina T. Kralinger, Claus Zehetner
Summary: Intravitreal brolucizumab leads to a sustained reduction in systemic VEGF-A levels, while aflibercept only provides short-term reduction. This may have implications for safety and long-term effects.
RETINA-THE JOURNAL OF RETINAL AND VITREOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Dionysis D. Balatsoukas, Konstantinos T. Tsaousis, Konstadinos G. Boboridis, Anastasios G. Konstas, Fotis Topouzis
Summary: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of irreversible visual loss in elderly patients worldwide. Although anti-VEGF intravitreal injections have revolutionized nAMD management, therapeutic challenges remain, and further innovative treatment options are needed to improve prognosis and outcomes.
ADVANCES IN THERAPY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aira Sarkar, Vijayabhaskarreddy Junnuthula, Sathish Dyawanapelly
Summary: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of vision loss in the elderly population, and intravitreal injections are a popular treatment option. To address the challenges of short half-life and patient compliance with these injections, various technologies and therapies are being developed to reduce injection frequency and improve efficacy. In addition to the frequent IVT injections, molecular therapies such as cell therapy and gene therapy offer the potential for restoration of vision, with recent advancements in ocular gene therapy providing new hope in this direction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)