At the Retina 2012 Conference January 17, 2012, Dr. Peter Kaiser presented an update on Eylea.  This new therapy for wet macular degeneration from Regeneron was approved by the FDA on November 18, 2011 and is currently available to physicians as an option to Lucentis and Avastin. According to Dr. Kaiser, EYLEA is similar to Lucentis and Avastin since all of them block VEGF - the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor that triggers the growth of blood vessels in macular degeneration.  However, EYLEA also blocks placenta growth factor and last longer.   In the recent clinical trial, it was as effective as Lucentis given monthly and with the same safety profile.   The EYLEA is administered in the same manner, starting out with a monthly injection for three visits and then given every 8 weeks.

Monthly injections create a real burden for patients and their family members, who must often drive the patient to treatment.  It is expensive, crowds the doctor's office - and no one looks forward to that shot in the eye.  While Lucentis and Avastin treatments are already being stretched out to less than monthly administration, it's quite possible that EYLEA will stretch the interval out even more.  That can only be good news to patients and doctors alike.

February 2012