Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness among Americans over age 60, affecting the macula in the central retinal area, leading to blurry vision and can eventually progress into wet macular degeneration, leading to permanent vision loss.

New drug treatments are helping reduce the costs associated with treating wet macular degeneration, with trial participants seeing eight more letters on an eye chart after six months of treatment.

Visudyne

Visudyne (verteporfin for injection) is a light-activated drug used in combination with laser light treatment to stop leaky blood vessels that lead to serious eye conditions like macular degeneration, pathologic myopia or histoplasmosis. This procedure is known as photodynamic therapy or PDT and begins with intravenous administration of the medication followed by application of non-thermal red laser beam into your eye – when activated by this light it destroys any abnormal vessels causing vision loss thereby providing relief from vision loss caused by impaired retinal blood vessel leakage.

People suffering from wet macular degeneration – where new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak fluid into the macula – can take advantage of this treatment, which aims to reverse rapid vision loss through new blood vessel growth beneath retina and leakage into macula – as this condition requires immediate care and can result in rapid vision loss. It requires immediate medical intervention.

Wet AMD involves damage to the central portion of retina. This region of eye is responsible for sharp, central vision that’s essential for reading and driving, which may result in severe vision loss if left untreated. Unfortunately, there is no cure yet available; however you may be able to halt progression through regular checkups with a healthcare provider and adhering to their recommendations.

There are various macular degeneration agents on the market. Each agent works differently to prevent new blood vessels from growing into your eye and cause vision loss, including macular degeneration drugs, laser treatments and low vision devices. Macular degeneration agents work by blocking new blood vessel formation which leads to neovascularization of retina.

Medical literature clearly establishes photodynamic therapy’s efficacy for treating various ophthalmic conditions, such as wet macular degeneration. When administered appropriately and following recommended guidelines, photodynamic therapy should be seen as reasonable and necessary treatment option for these patients.

Verteporfin falls within a class of drugs known as photosensitizing agents, which, when activated by light, destroy diseased tissue without harming normal ones – this allows doctors to treat only abnormal blood vessels which cause eye problems.

Macugen

Anti-angiogenic (or “anti-angio”) drugs have recently become available to slow macular degeneration’s progression, known as wet AMD. Macugen from Eyetech Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer was the first anti-angiogenic medication approved, promising two years of vision loss prevention trials when used alongside Lucentis (another eye injection medication that attacks proteins responsible for abnormal blood vessel growth). Both medicines work similarly by targeting proteins responsible for abnormal neovascularization of AMD.

Researchers are creating drugs to treat symptoms of wet macular degeneration as well as ways to prevent its occurrence in the first place. While certain risk factors such as family history, smoking, high blood pressure, lighter eyesight and obesity can increase your likelihood of wet macular degeneration; studies indicate taking antioxidant vitamins such as beta-carotene and C and E can protect eyes from damage.

Eyetech and Pfizer have joined forces to develop an aptamer known as pegaptanib that attacks a protein that promotes new blood vessel growth in the eye. The drug penetrates skin surface cells before entering cells where it blocks vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Studies have demonstrated that this protein is responsible for creating abnormal new blood vessels in the retina, which may damage healthy tissue and alter normal flow of nutrients and fluids resulting in vision issues.

Frost & Sullivan, an international market consulting company, reports that several drugs that target VEGF are currently in development. These include over 20 wet AMD products as well as numerous diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy treatment drugs.

Macugen side effects typically include eye redness, eye pain and changes in vision. Following injection, it is also possible for an immediate allergic reaction called endophthalmitis to develop; in such an instance, medical attention should be sought immediately. Other possible reactions of Macugen include swelling in mouth or throat area; itching skin with hives; nausea vomiting diarrhea as well as other.

Eylea

Eylea, administered through injection into the eye, is the first drug approved to slow and reverse vision loss caused by wet age-related macular degeneration. The treatment works by inhibiting new blood vessel growth that leads to fluid buildup in the macula that eventually results in vision loss. Produced by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and administered monthly, Eylea can help patients retain independence by enabling them to drive, read and watch TV without restriction, work in most jobs as well as treat macular edema after retinal vein occlusion as well as diabetic macular edema.

Eylea HD has recently been approved for use in both the United States and Canada. It reduces injection frequency to every eight weeks following three initial monthly doses – providing significant savings over the current monthly treatments. According to phase 3 VIEW 1 and 2 studies, this new formulation was proven safe and effective with most common adverse reactions including conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, increased intraocular pressure, cataract formation, vitreous detachment, and floaters reported among its side effects.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals of Tarrytown, New York has received approval to submit their Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Aflibercept injection under Priority Review from the Food and Drug Administration for priority review under Prescription Drug User Fee Act. Their application relies upon 48-week data from both PULSAR and PHOTON trials comparing efficacy between every 16 week dosing regimen and existing Eylea treatment with monthly dosing after three initial monthly doses.

Northwestern Medicine ophthalmologist Lee Jampol led this groundbreaking research study and reported that those diagnosed with diabetic macular edema – a key indicator of progressive diabetic retinopathy – saw significant improvement when treated with Eylea as opposed to receiving placebo treatment; his results were published in New England Journal of Medicine.

Lucentis

Food and Drug Administration officials recently approved Cimerli, the first biosimilar version of anti-VEGF therapy Lucentis. Cimerli is intended for monthly intravitreal injection using the port delivery system developed for Lucentis. This medication can treat similar conditions as Lucentis such as wet AMD (neovascular age-related macular degeneration), diabetic macular edema, and myopic choroidal neovascularization.

The new drug treatment targets vascular endothelial growth factor, the chemical responsible for creating abnormal blood vessels in the eye. It helps prevent leakage from these blood vessels that causes blurry vision in patients suffering from wet macular degeneration. The drug is administered via intravitreal injections and its long-term benefits have been demonstrated through research published in Ophthalmology journal.

Thomas Wei, analyst with Piper Jaffray, believes the approval of Visudyne and Lucentis could provide long-term upside for Genentech shares. According to Wei, combination therapy between Visudyne and Lucentis will reduce retreatment rates compared to monotherapy while maintaining similar visual results, increasing chances of attaining good vision while potentially being cost-effective for the manufacturer.

This new drug is administered via injection from a healthcare provider at either a medical office or hospital setting, after cleaning and numbing to avoid infection before giving an injection. Initial doses must be assessed every three months for nine months; thereafter less frequent dosage can be prescribed with regular assessments of vision status.

Government-sponsored research suggests that a $50 per dose drug can be as effective as one costing $2,000, according to a government trial. The trial compared Lucentis from Genentech with Avastin – a cancer medication often used off-label by eye doctors treating macular degeneration – the results of which will likely inform Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Bayer in seeking FDA approval for new macular degeneration treatments.