Ophthalmology

With the approval, the syringe becomes the first with anti-VEGF agent approved by the FDA for use to treat DR and DME.

This is the first and only FDA-approved gene therapy for treatment for an inherited disease.

The anti-VEGF marketed as EYLEA has new phase 3 study results in its ongoing trial for NPDR consideration.

Foveomacular, juxta-macular, and peripheral retina punch biopsies can be used to determine protein levels and identify patterns of expression.

While not the preferred solution, choroidal neovascularization removal in patients with AMD can be useful in specific circumstances.

According to data, patients with neovascular AMD can continue their prescribed use of AP/AC medication without negative effects on AMD outcomes.

The market price for gene therapy greatly exceed the costs of the gene editing development and the equipment required for the task.

For treating AMD, the 3 anti-VEGF agents report similar efficacy and safety results in trials but different molecular structure and biochemical properties.

The fall of 2017 brought the approval of new gene therapies, and could usher in a new area of personalized medicine.

Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories may decrease the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

Less invasive interventions could be achieved in AMD with encapsulated microspheres as a method of delivering treatment to patients.

There is some promising evidence for the use of microperimetry in functionally assessing AMD, despite research results being limited.

Computerized low luminance visual acuity and low luminance deficit in patients with early/intermediate age-related macular degeneration were linked to LLQ scores.

New data from a 6-month, multicenter, observational study supplied evidence that DEX implants are safe and effective in real-life practice.

New research has shown that increased IOP is tolerable to corneal endothelium, and safe for most patients’ eyes despite immediate increases post-injection.

The use of SD OCT could help determine the presence of submacular fluid, the absence of hyper-reflective foci, and a continuous inner segment-outer segment.

A recent study from Temple University revealed a connection between exposure to female hormones and retinal diseases in aging men.

32% of patients said they were going to stop treatment and decline further injections due to mismanaged expectations of discomfort and anxiety.

After receiving an average of 4.7 injections through year 1, patients received 0.9 injections in year 4, while maintaining gains in BCVA letters.

Overall, the data showed that patients in the treat-and-extend group also received fewer injections in comparison to the monthly group.

Color Doppler imaging showed that patients with AMD had general vascular disorder in all arteries evaluated.

Optical coherence tomography accrued savings of $9.0 billion for the US government through Medicare and an estimated $2.2 billion in savings for AMD patients since 2013.

Dr. Ianchulev discusses his breakthrough technology, miLOOP, that will revolutionize the way cataract surgery is performed and how doctors fragment the lens.

Unapproved stem cell therapies now bring in $2.4 billion per year. The FDA is working to ensure they follow regulatory, safety and efficacy guidelines.

Spark Therapeutics CEO Jeff Marrazzo reassured patients and the medical community he has an obligation to ensure access to the novel gene therapy.

Brimonidine was previously approved by the FDA in 1996 for the treatment of intraocular pressure reduction in patients with glaucoma.

83.4% of trial study participants showed either improvement or stabilization in best-corrected visual acuity with ranibizumab.

This is the first gene therapy approved in the US targeting mutations in a specific gene.

Despite having treatments available, the understanding of age-related macular degeneration needs to improve before therapies can be more effective.

There is a need for a better understanding of geographic atrophy progression in patients with AMD.