What to expect at Angiogenesis 2022: Fruitful discussion, revolutionary therapies

Bascom Palmer’s 19th annual Angiogenesis, Exudation and Degeneration Meeting 2022 is a virtual event scheduled for 11 and 12 February, 2022. The programme is focused on understanding and treating neovascular and exudative diseases of the eye with the emphasis on the revolutionary pharmacologic therapies that are being developed and the clinical management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), macular oedema, diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity. Another special focus is the current and future impact of the developing pharmacotherapies on clinical practice and Medicare, according to the programme coordinators.

The conference codirectors are Dr Philip J. Rosenfeld, Professor of Ophthalmology; Dr Harry W. Flynn, Jr., Professor of Ophthalmology and The J. Donald M. Gass Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology; and Dr Thomas A. Albini Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology — all from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami.

The scheduled programme is outstanding, with a slate of distinguished national and international basic scientists, clinicians and healthcare experts who will share the latest developments in imaging, translational research and clinical trials as well as the impact these advances will have on clinical ophthalmology.

Retina specialists expressed enthusiasm about the promise of the information that will be disseminated at the meeting.

According to Dr Anat Loewenstein, chair of the department of ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Centre, Tel Aviv, Israel, and a programme panellist, “The angiogenesis meeting is a unique conference in size and scope. First, I think that it includes all the state-of-the-art current treatments of most retinal diseases. At the same time, new modalities of treatment and monitoring are being presented, which allows the audience to not only learn about the current treatments but also gain information about the newly approved ones and the ones that are still under assessment.”

She continued, “It is a big meeting but not too big to prevent fruitful discussion for which there is usually enough time allocated, making that another special feature of this meeting."

Dr Albini, commented, “There is simply no better event, streaming or in-person, to get an update and overview on the amazing novel therapeutics in exudative and degenerative retinal disease.”

The scientific programme

This year’s activities begin on Friday, 11 February at 7:50 Eastern time with an opening address by the co-directors.

The following five sessions are scheduled for Day 1 beginning at 8 am and adjourning at 1:20 pm Eastern time.

Session I: Genetics, Histopathology and Imaging in Non-Exudative AMD

Session II: Predicting Progression of AMD

Session III: Emerging Therapies for Non-Exudative AMD

Session IV: C3 Inhibition for the Treatment of Geographic Atrophy; session IV also will include a panel discussion titled “Clinical trial endpoints for non-exudative AMD” at the conclusion of the session.

Session V: OCT Imaging and Risk Factors for Exudative AMD

The Day 2 programme, which also will feature five sessions, will begin on Saturday, 12 February at 7:50 am with opening comments and run until 2:30 pm.

The sessions include the following:

Session VI: Emerging and Current Therapies for Exudative AMD; the session will include a discussion of the Ranibizumab Port Delivery System presentations.

Session VII: Dual Inhibition of Ang2 and VEGF for the Treatment of Exudative AMD and DMO–An Update from the Faricimab Programme; a discussion session will follow.

Session VIII: Diabetic Retinopathy-Imaging and Staging

Session IX: Diabetic Retinopathy-Treatment

Session X: Retinal and Choroidal Vasculopathies and Degenerations

More detailed information about the specifics of each sessions and the speakers can be obtained on the Bascom Palmer website.

The conference registration is now open and interested clinicians are invited to sign up.