Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract EN

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe visual loss and blindness over the age of 50 in developed countries.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered as a critical molecule in the pathogenesis of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), which characterizes the neovascular AMD.

Anti-VEGF agents are considered the most promising way of effectively inhibition of the neovascular AMD process.

VEGF is a heparin-binding glycoprotein with potent angiogenic, mitogenic and vascular permeability-enhancing activities specific for endothelial cells.

Two anti-VEGF agents have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of neovascular AMD.

Pegaptanib sodium, which is an aptamer and ranibizumab, which is a monoclonal antibody fragment.

Another humanized monoclonal antibody is currently off-label used, bevacizumab.

This paper aims to discuss in details the effectiveness, the efficacy and safety of these three anti-VEGF agents.

New anti-VEGF compounds which are recently investigated for their clinical usage (VEGF-trap, small interfering RNA) are also discussed for their promising outcomes.