Treatment for neovascular age related macular degeneration: The state of the art

Eur J Pharmacol. 2016 Sep 15:787:78-83. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.03.002. Epub 2016 Mar 3.

Abstract

With the introduction in the clinical practice of drugs inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) the visual outcomes of patients with neovascular age related macular degeneration (AMD) dramatically improved. Since 2006 repeated intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF became the standard of care for the treatment of neovascular AMD. This review provides an overview of available data form clinical trials supporting the use of anti-VEGF molecules for the treatment of this condition. Several questions remain open, in particular the regimen of treatment, the frequency of injection, the safety of the different drugs, and the poor response to the treatment in some cases. Therefore, new agents and alternative delivery are currently under evaluation.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; Anti-VEGF; Choroid; Degeneration; Macula; Retina.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Vessels / drug effects*
  • Blood Vessels / metabolism
  • Blood Vessels / physiopathology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Humans
  • Macular Degeneration / drug therapy*
  • Macular Degeneration / metabolism
  • Macular Degeneration / physiopathology
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / adverse effects
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods*
  • Safety
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*

Substances

  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A