Faricimab-svoa (Vabysmo) offers hope to those suffering from degenerative retinal conditions. By targeting and inhibiting two disease pathways associated with wet macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema, this new therapy may offer hope to patients in need of relief.

Avacincaptad pegol targets complement C5, believed to play a part in geographic atrophy progression. This drug should reduce the need for monthly anti-VEGF injections.

SYFOVRE

SYFOVRE is an innovative treatment for geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The drug works to stop GA by suppressing complement. Though an essential part of human immune defense, too much complement can cause damage if allowed to become too active, which researchers believe contributes to GA. SYFOVRE was found to significantly reduce GA lesion growth compared to placebo in two recent clinical studies called OAKS and DERBY; after its approval by FDA in 2023 it marked an historic achievement in ophthalmic medicine!

Molina Healthcare provides Syfovre (pegcetacoplan injection) under its prescription drug benefit program. While this medication may have serious risks or side effects, only licensed physicians should administer it to ensure safety. Furthermore, this drug cannot be prescribed to people suffering from an eye or periocular infection or active intraocular inflammation and it should never be given to children.

A breakthrough ophthalmic drug called ABBV-RGX-314 has been demonstrated to restore vision in people suffering from macular edema caused by retinal vein occlusion or diabetic macular edema. This gene therapy uses single injections to neutralize angiopoietin-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor linked to vision-threatening conditions – this makes ABBV-RGX-314 the first gene therapy treatment that shows sustained improvement of vision in patients living with retinal vascular diseases.

Astellas Pharma Inc. announced it would acquire Iveric Bio Inc in order to bolster its eye-care product lineup, including Iveric’s ophthalmology program including its vaccine for choroidal neovascularization vaccine and accessing additional ophthalmic pipeline and capabilities across the value chain of eye care industry. The acquisition is scheduled for completion in early 2024.

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition that primarily affects older people, gradually diminishing central vision needed for tasks like reading and driving, as well as making it hard to recognize faces. New treatment options exist to manage symptoms effectively and increase quality of life for those affected.

Adults aged 60 and above should schedule regular eye examinations. Doing so can help detect early signs of macular degeneration before it progresses further, with those from families that have an increased risk for AMD having greater chances of contracting the condition themselves.

Dry AMD is the most prevalent form of macular degeneration, occurring when light-sensing cells in the retina begin to break down and degrade, eventually leading to loss of vision. Unfortunately, its symptoms often go undetected until further damage occurs – blurry central vision; straight lines becoming bent; colors appearing muted or dull are just some.

However, AMD can sometimes progress into wet AMD. When this occurs, blood vessels grow abnormally beneath the retina and leak fluid or bleed into the macula, leading to severe vision loss within weeks or months. Treating wet AMD early is key; effective therapies could revert it back to dry AMD.

Faricimab-svoa (Vabysmo), recently approved by the FDA as a treatment for wet macular degeneration, targets two disease pathways responsible for diabetic macular edema and wet age-related macular degeneration, with less invasive injections and sessions needed to achieve better vision results than with traditional therapies such as latanoprost or other injectable drugs designed for this condition. Furthermore, Vabysmo’s price point makes it more accessible than some alternatives used to treat this form of AMD.

Complement cascade

Complement, an integral component of the innate immune system, plays an essential role in host defense against microbes. Complement consists of both soluble proteins and membrane-bound molecules involved in an activation process with tight controls over their activation process. Complement activation occurs through classical, alternative or lectin pathways. Once activated, complement proteins bind to their target surface before being broken apart by C3 convertases and eventually removed by C4 convertases. Cleavage allows for the formation of membrane attack complex (MAC), which kills microbes and other cell types. A deficiency in complement can increase susceptibility to infections. Protein C6 is an 813 amino acid chain composed of one polypeptide chain and forms part of the macerating complement component complex with other terminal complement components such as C7, C8, and C9. A deficiency in these proteins could lead to severe, recurrent infections due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Neisseria meningitidis bacteria.

The complement system works to rid our bodies of potentially harmful substances, and is managed through an intricate network of inhibitors designed to prevent overreaction. These include plasma proteins such as factor H and C4 binding protein as well as membrane proteins like complement receptor type 1 and decay-accelerating factor; additionally there are carboxypeptidase N and CD59 that serve as cascade inhibitors that ensure effective functioning.

Complement system dysfunction has been linked with geographic atrophy in age-related macular degeneration, and recent studies suggest that pegcetacoplan could inhibit its progress by targeting complement C3. This medication is currently being studied for use against diabetic macular edema and prematurity as well as diabetic macular edema by targeting faricimab-svoa, an intraocular injection developed by Genentech that blocks vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which contributes to macular edema; its Phase III TENAYA LUCERNE and YOSEMITE trials demonstrated its efficacy by significantly reducing fluid and blood vessel leakage which resulted in improved vision.

Geographic atrophy

Geographic atrophy (GA) is an irreversible form of macular degeneration resulting in irreparable vision loss, marked by atrophic lesions that start in the outer retina and spread gradually toward the macula and central part of the fovea. Loss of central vision limits daily activities and compromises independence compared to wet AMD which involves new leaky blood vessels causing rapid vision loss. Geographic atrophy should not be confused with wet AMD which involves new leaky blood vessels leading to rapid vision loss.

GA progression has been linked with decreased quality of life and higher healthcare-related costs, such as diagnostic tests and procedures. A 2022 study by Bakri and her colleagues published in Clinical Ophthalmology demonstrated that patients diagnosed with GA experienced reduced visual function relative to those without it, as well as being at greater risk for progression towards wet AMD.

Researchers believe the progression of GA is caused by reduced blood flow to the retinal pigment epithelium. Utilizing swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography, researchers were able to identify regions within choriocapillaris where there was insufficient flow, while also showing that those with large areas of GA experienced poorer vision and lower quality of life than those who experienced less atrophy.

Genetic and lifestyle factors have been linked with GA. These include family history of the condition, smoking and light-colored eyes; high cholesterol and obesity may also increase your risk; it most frequently strikes those over 60. Prevent Blindness has launched an educational campaign to raise awareness about identifying at-risk individuals and developing treatment protocols – featuring dedicated webpages, expert videos and social media graphics as part of its educational strategy.

Pegcetacoplan

Pegcetacoplan was found to significantly decrease geographic atrophy progression among early GA patients in a study; however, this observation should be considered preliminary since the research wasn’t randomized controlled or powered accordingly – meaning its results must be confirmed with further testing by larger, appropriately powered studies with larger samples sizes and increased doses of medication that may increase intraocular inflammation risk.

In both DERBY and OAKS studies, pegcetacoplan injections reduced GA progression by 28 percent compared to placebo treatment in all subgroups, including those with large drusen. A key finding of both trials was its effect on progression at macular margin. Furthermore, GALE, an extension study of both DERBY and OAKS trials that followed patients for 36 months, demonstrated its efficacy while simultaneously showing its favorable safety profile.

Charles C. Wykoff, MD, an ophthalmologist with Molina Healthcare, discusses one-year data from the GALE extension study and how these findings apply to treating patients in clinic. Additionally, he highlights some benefits of automated artificial intelligence to analyze topographic disease progression among GA patients.

Jaynath R. Sridhar, MD is an ophthalmologist in private practice who oversees many patients suffering from geographic atrophy. He shared his insights into managing them in light of a lack of FDA-approved therapies; discussed pathophysiological changes that occur with geographic atrophy; as well as ongoing research to find potential treatments; reported adverse reactions include eye discomfort, neovascular age-related macular degeneration, vitreous floaters and conjunctival hemorrhage; these reactions were reported by patients receiving Syfovre treatment.