Novel anti-VEGF agent
Trap for VEGF-C/VEGF-D shows early promise as combination treatment
Cheryl Guttman Krader
Published: Tuesday, March 14, 2017
There is a large unmet therapeutic need for neovascular AMDFOLLOW-UP Nineteen patients were evaluable at the week 12 follow-up visit, and 16 (84.2%) maintained or gained vision. All cases of vision loss were limited to ≤3 letters and occurred in patients receiving combination therapy, reported Dr Dugel. Among 14 evaluable patients receiving combination treatment, VA improved by a mean of eight letters and central subfield thickness (CST) decreased by a mean of 91μm. Results were better among the treatment-naïve patients compared with the previously treated patients for both mean VA gain (+16.5 versus +4 letters) and CST change (-214 versus -42μm). Three of five patients who received OPT-302 monotherapy did not require rescue therapy. At 12 weeks, their VA improved by a mean of three letters and they had a minimal change in CST (mean +18μm). Dr Dugel noted that aqueous humour levels of VEGF-C increase significantly in patients with wet AMD after they start intravitreal treatment with a VEGF-A inhibitor. Upregulation of VEGF-C and VEGF-D has also been seen in cancer patients on systemic anti-VEGF-A therapy. Results from a study conducted in a mouse model of choroidal neovascularisation showed that combination treatment with a VEGF-A inhibitor and OPT-302 was significantly more effective than either agent alone for inhibiting lesion development and vascular leakage. Pravin Dugel: pdugel@gmail.com
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