Ophthalmology Update - Cleveland Clinic

i n v e s t i g a t i O n s
For more information, contact
Peter K. Kaiser, M.D., at
kaiserp@ccf.org.
Diverse Spectrum of New and Investigational AMD Therapies
Continued from page 9
already been produced, and is showing promise in
initial trials, dr. Kaiser says. the digital Oct reading
center of the cole eye institute serves as the
reading center for the cand5 clinical studies.
cole eye institute is also participating in a phase ii
study of intravitreal vegF trap (regeneron) therapy.
vegF trap is a fusion protein of key domains of
vegFr-1 and vegFr-2 that acts as a receptor decoy
for vegF, “trapping” it with extremely high affinity
to prevent its binding to the endogenous vegF
receptor.
“the mechanism of the vegF trap is somewhat analogous
to ranibizumab, but the vegF trap may have
the benefit of a longer duration of action due to its
higher binding affinity. that potential is being tested
in the ongoing trial,” dr. Kaiser says.
several companies are also developing small-molecule
receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting vegF
receptors as a new approach to the treatment of
exudative amd.
although no formal studies are under way, dr. Kaiser
and colleagues at the cole eye institute are evaluating
their experience with bevacizumab (avastin) as a
last-resort treatment for patients whose exudative
amd is refractory to other interventions. currently
available on the market as an intravenously administered
agent with approval for the treatment of
metastatic colorectal cancer, bevacizumab is being
used in off-label fashion as an intravitreal injection
in the treatment of exudative amd.
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