Agents address wound-healing cascade

Article

Wound modulation research focuses on new targets and combination therapy

"Approaches to wound modulation after filtration surgery have not changed much over the past 20 years. However, early studies of new targeted interventions and combination approaches have provided some encouraging results," said Dr Malik Y. Kahook, during glaucoma subspeciality day at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Results of an animal study reported by Sherwood1 provide evidence supporting the concept of using a sequential treatment regimen incorporating multiple novel agents targeting different mediators of wound healing. Also, a pilot clinical trial conducted by Dr Kahook yielded encouraging results about a combination regimen consisting of the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent, ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) and MMC.2

The two study groups were similar in their preoperative mean IOP and mean bleb scores on the first day after surgery. However, at the end of the 6-month postoperative follow-up, there were statistically significant differences favouring the combination group in three of the grading system categories: peripheral bleb area, peripheral bleb vascularity and non-bleb-related peripheral conjunctiva vascularity. There were no cases of bleb leaks, all patients remained off medications and vision remained stable.

"Ranibizumab also has an antiinflammatory effect, and I was struck by the quiet nature of the eyes that had been treated with this anti-VEGF agent. Now, further studies are needed to validate these early findings and understand better the role of antiVEGF treatment at the time of trabeculectomy," said Dr Kahook, who added that a follow-up trial is under way that includes a third arm in which patients receive only ranibizumab at the conclusion of surgery.

Newsletter

Join ophthalmologists across Europe—sign up for exclusive updates and innovations in surgical techniques and clinical care.

Recent Videos
Alfredo Sadun, MD, PhD, chief of Ophthalmology at the Doheny Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, shared exciting new research with the Eye Care Network during the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting on the subject of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).
At this year's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, Nitish Mehta, MD, shared highlights from his research documenting real-world results of aflibercept 8 mg for patients with diabetic macular oedema.
ARVO 2025: Anat Loewenstein, MD, shares data from herself and her colleagues on meeting needs of patients with diabetic retinopathy
At the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons annual meeting, Sheng Lim, MD, FRCOphth discusses the benefit of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation for patients with primary open angle glaucoma and cataracts in the CONCEPT study
A photo of Seville, Spain, with the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology logo superimposed on it. Image credit: ©francovolpato – stock.adobe.com; logo courtesy COPHy
Anat Loewenstein, MD, Professor and Director, Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, discusses the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology (COPHy)
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times Europe) AGS 2025: Clemens Strohmaier, PhD, on improving aqueous humour outflow following excimer laser trabeculostomy
3 experts are featured in this series.
Anat Loewenstein, MD, speaks about the 22nd Annual Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration Meeting in February 2025 and shares her global forecast for AI-driven home OCT
3 experts are featured in this series.
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.