Aflibercept may be beneficial for AMD

Aflibercept 2.0 mg may be beneficial for cases of exudative AMD unsuccessfully treated with ranibizumab or bevacizumab, according to a recent retrospective review.

Dr Jeffrey S. Heier, Department of Retina, Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, evaluated the anatomic and visual effect of intravitreal aflibercept 2.0 mg in cases of exudative AMD with persistent fluid on OCT. Each patient has already received ranibizumab 0.5 mg and/or bevacizumab 1.25 mg at one and six months.

The group collected tabulated data on 353 eyes. This included details of prior treatments, best available visual acuity, central subfoveal thickness on registered SD-OCT before and after aflibercept injection centred on the anatomic fovea and macular description before and after aflibercept injection.

Of the total eyes studied, 28 presented with persistent fluid after a mean of 20 regular ranibizumab/bevacizumab injections. Anatomic improvement was noted in 89% of eyes at one month after just one aflibercept injection.

Even though visual acuity did not improve at either the one-month follow-up or the six months follow-up, central subfoveal thickness improved from 295 to 272 microns and 18% of eyes were dry after a single aflibercept injection.

After a mean of 4.4 aflibercept injections over six months the central subfoveal thickness remained lower, with 64% of eyes demonstrating anatomic improvement and 25% of eyes were determined as dry.

Please visit the British Journal of Ophthalmology to read the abstract.