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WGA Rescources

Abstract #51243 Published in IGR 14-3

Anti-VEGF therapy for the treatment of glaucoma: a focus on ranibizumab and bevacizumab

Park SC; Su D; Tello C
Expert opinion on biological therapy 2012; 12: 1641-1647


INTRODUCTION: Anti-VEGF therapy has been widely used in the treatment of ocular neovascular diseases. Because of their anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic properties, anti-VEGF antibodies such as bevacizumab and ranibizumab have emerged as an adjunctive treatment modality in glaucoma to improve success of conventional treatments. Areas covered: Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF-A antigen binding fragment currently indicated in neovascular age-related macular degeneration as well as macular edema following retinal vein occlusion. Several off-label uses include the treatment of neovascular glaucoma to regress/suppress iris and iridocorneal angle neovascularization and the modulation of wound healing after glaucoma filtration surgery. Bevacizumab is a full-length anti-VEGF antibody, which is also being used in aforementioned eye conditions off-label. An overview of these anti-VEGF antibodies and the results of preclinical and clinical studies regarding their use in the treatment of glaucoma are presented. Expert opinion: Early studies on the utility of both bevacizumab and ranibizumab in neovascular glaucoma and filtration surgery reported promising results. However, a large-scale randomized clinical trial as well as comparative studies between the two anti-VEGF antibodies are currently lacking. A single dose of ranibizumab costs approximately 40 times as much as a single dose of bevacizumab. Clinicians should take this into account, in addition to their differences in the efficacy and safety, when treating patients.

Einhorn Clinical Research Center, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary , 310 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003 , USA.

Full article

Classification:

9.4.5.1 Neovascular glaucoma (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.4 Glaucomas associated with other ocular and systemic disorders > 9.4.5 Glaucomas associated with disorders of the retina, choroid and vitreous)
11.15 Other drugs in relation to glaucoma (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)



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