Despite the availability of effective treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), it has been difficult to replicate outstanding trial results in clinical settings. But newer treatments may improve long-term results and reduce significant barriers to care in this older patient population, report Dr Sunir Garg of Wills Eye Hospital and Dr Chirag Shah of Tufts University School of Medicine.
Current therapies all fall into the category of anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatments. Although anti-VEGF drugs can deliver excellent results, they generally require in-office visits for injections at 4- to 6-week intervals. Recurring visits can prove a burden to patients and family members often resulting in significant nonadherence.
Dr Garg and Dr Shah outline newer therapies for wet AMD that may help patients achieve long-term vision improvement by extending the length of time between treatments. Almost half of the patients on the recently approved faricimab, which blocks both VEGF and angiopoietin 2, were able to extend their treatment interval to 16 weeks. And approval is likely to soon be granted for a higher dose of the anti-VEGF aflibercept with an equally long-treatment interval for many patients.
The panelists also preview new approaches outside the VEGF mechanism of action including gene therapy, tyrosine kinase inhibition, and home optical coherence tomography imaging.
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Cite this: Long-Term Improvement in Age-Related Macular Degeneration - Medscape - Jun 28, 2023.
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