1. Emerging biological therapies for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration
- Author
-
Josh Wallsh, Ron P. Gallemore, Jaycob Avaylon, and Masumi G Asahi
- Subjects
Oncology ,Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ,medicine.medical_specialty ,genetic structures ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Angiogenesis Inhibitors ,030226 pharmacology & pharmacy ,03 medical and health sciences ,Macular Degeneration ,0302 clinical medicine ,Risk Factors ,Internal medicine ,Age related ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Pharmacology (medical) ,Pharmacology ,Biological therapies ,Blindness ,business.industry ,Stem-cell therapy ,Genetic Therapy ,Macular degeneration ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,eye diseases ,Choroidal Neovascularization ,Biological Therapy ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Intravitreal Injections ,Disease Progression ,sense organs ,business ,Stem Cell Transplantation - Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in individuals over age 50 in developed countries. Current therapy for nonexudative AMD (neAMD) is aimed at modifying risk factors and vitamin supplementation to slow progression, while intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial factor (VEGF) injections are the mainstay for treatment of choroidal neovascularization in exudative AMD (eAMD).Over the past decade, promising therapies have emerged that aim to improve the current standard of care for both diseases. Clinical trials for neAMD are investigating targets in the complement cascade, vitamin A metabolism, metformin, and tetracycline, whereas clinical trials for eAMD are aiming to decrease treatment burden through novel port delivery systems, increasing drug half-life, and targeting new sites of the VEGF cascade. Stem cell and gene therapy are also being evaluated for treatment of neAMD and eAMD.With an aging population, the need for effective, long term, low burden treatment options for AMD will be in increasingly high demand. Current investigations aim to address the shortcomings of current treatment options with breakthrough treatment approaches. Therapeutics in the pipeline hold promise for improving the treatment of AMD, and are on track for widespread use within the next decade.
- Published
- 2021