Eylea contains Aflibercept, which works by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor protein to stop it stimulating new blood vessels and scar tissue to form beneath the retina, leading to wet macular degeneration. These abnormal new vessels cause symptoms.

Over 85% of macular degeneration cases are classified as dry. Wet AMD occurs when new blood vessels leak blood and fluid into the retina, potentially leading to permanent blindness.

What is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is an eye condition that causes your central vision to blur or distort, usually as the macula becomes affected. The condition affects this part of the retina (which provides light-sensitive layers at the back of your eyeball). While macular degeneration reduces central vision, it doesn’t usually lead to complete blindness – side (peripheral) vision often remains clear despite central impairment. Macular degeneration is divided into two forms – dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration.

Dry macular degeneration is the most frequent form of macular degeneration, occurring when tiny yellow protein deposits called drusen begin to gather under the retina and grow over time, eventually damaging it permanently. Damage from dry macular degeneration tends to progress gradually without leading to any significant visual impairment or vision loss.

Wet macular degeneration may be less frequent but can progress faster and lead to permanent loss of central vision. With wet macular degeneration, abnormal blood vessels under the retina begin leaking fluid or blood that damages macula cells and leads to blurred or distorted central vision in both eyes – it is more serious than dry form macular degeneration and should be taken more seriously than its dry form counterpart.

Macular degeneration medications (or macular degeneration agents) can provide effective help for wet macular degeneration. They work by stopping the formation of new blood vessels (neovascularization) in the retina. There are four types of these agents – bevacizumab, ranibizumab, pegaptanib and aflibercept. Each works differently to limit neovascularization; but all share one common goal – slowing macular degeneration and vision loss.

Regular eye exams are necessary in order to detect macular degeneration and take measures to delay its onset or prevent wet form of this disease. A diet rich in lutein and zeaxanthin found in dark green vegetables may help slow or stop macular degeneration progression. Furthermore, laser photocoagulation treatment is another available solution to address wet macular degeneration.

How is eylea used?

Eylea is an injectable medication used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), macular edema after retinal vein occlusion and diabetic macular edema (DME). The medicine works by blocking VEGF which causes damage by stimulating abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage – effectively stopping further vision loss or even reversing it.

In the Phase 3 VISTA-DME and VIVID-DME trials that led to FDA approval of Eylea for DME, patients receiving monthly or every two month injections of Eylea displayed, on average, improved best corrected visual acuity on an ETDRS chart when compared with control group that did not receive injections; this improvement could be seen over one year of follow up.

eylea contains a recombinant fusion protein designed to bind both VEGF-A and VEGF-P receptors found in the eye, preventing them from binding with each other and thus decreasing fluid flow through blood vessels by blocking these peptides from activating their respective receptors.

Eylea has a low rate of serious side effects, but you should notify your physician immediately if you experience symptoms like increased redness or eye pain, an unexpectedly increased pressure in your eye, moving spots or flashes of light in your vision, a detached retina, or issues with blood vessels in your retina (for more details please see full Prescribing Information). For further details please see full Prescribing Information.

Regeneron and Bayer announced on August 18, 2023, that the FDA had granted approval of an expanded dose (8 mg) of EYLEA that will be made available as a single-dose prefilled syringe or vial for wet macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy treatment. Furthermore, European Medicines Agency recommended 8 mg Aflibercept for approval based on data from their PULSAR and PHOTON trials.

How is eylea prescribed?

Eylea must be administered using a pre-filled syringe or vial with aseptic technique in mind and any symptoms suggestive of endophthalmitis or retinal detachment must be reported immediately.

Macular degeneration treatment utilizes Eylea’s ability to block new abnormal blood vessel formation – or neovascularization – in the eye. By blocking two proteins known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF), which promote the formation of abnormal blood vessels in retina of eye, macular degeneration is prevented and fine details remain clearly visible in vision.

Each anti-VEGF agent works differently to reduce retinal neovascularization, giving doctors an array of tools for treating various eye conditions with these drugs. Eylea is FDA-approved to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and neovascular glaucoma caused by diabetic retinopathy; recently approved in Europe as EYLEA HD by Regeneron and Bayer AG to be taken twice every two months, decreasing monthly monitoring visits while decreasing frequency of injections needed by half.