Potential new AMD treatment identified

Eylea could help to reduce eye fluid levels and improve vision in AMD patients.

Scientists have identified a potential new treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which could serve as an alternative in patients who respond poorly to Avastin and Lucentis.

According to the American Optometric Association, 25 million people worldwide are affected by AMD and cataracts, yet there is still no cure and treatment options are limited.

University of Iowa researchers believe that Eylea could have applications in reducing symptoms associated with wet AMD, which is caused by abnormal blood vessels underneath the macula.

Scientists recruited 31 patients resistant to Avastin and Lucentis into a clinical trial, and found that three monthly injections of Eylea reduced fluid levels in half of the eyes treated.

A fifth of the participants experienced improved vision after this course, and this proportion increased to almost a third after six months of treatment.

It could therefore prove an effective last resort for wet AMD patients, but research suggests it may also be more cost-effective and could therefore become the preferred choice for doctors.