Systemic Avastin Therapy in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Summary

Choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration is one of the major causes of blindness in the western world. It is already known that the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a major role in the development of CNV. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), subretinal surgery, and intravitreal injection of VEGF- inhibitors are the common treatments. These methods are either very invasive or need to be repeated several times over long periods of time in order show some effect. Furthermore PDT can only be performed in eyes with pigment epithelium detachments (PED) of maximum 50% of the avascular zone, while intravitreal injections can lead to endophthalmitis and acute glaucoma. A systemic treatment, which would only need to be administered 3 times within 6 weeks would be a major effort in macular degeneration therapy.

Timeline

Start

2005-08

Primary completion

2008-01

Completion

2008-03

Drugs

Indications