AMD Therapies

Early & Intermediate AMD

While there are no therapies to completely cure AMD there are a few therapies that have demonstrated promising results in clinical trials that aim to slow progression of intermediate AMD to sight threatening advanced stages such as Geographic Atrophy and nAMD. Antioxidant and mineral supplementation have been shown to reduce the risk of progression of early & intermediate AMD to late AMD (AREDS & AREDS2).​¹⁰​ Supplements containing vitamins C & E, zinc & copper and lutein & zeaxanthin are recommended. Similarly, light-based therapies also known and photobiomodulation such as Valeda Light Delivery system have recently demonstrated encouraging results. ​¹¹​

Late AMD

Geographic Atrophy (GA) – Two FDA approved therapies (Pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol) are available in the US with none currently available in Europe.​¹²​Both these therapies aim to slow down the progression of GA to advanced stages and hence delay sight loss. A recent study that conducted a post hoc analysis of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) studies showed that the AREDS supplements slow progression of disease in late GA also and may be a potential therapeutic option.​¹³​

Neovascular AMD – Photodynamic Therapy and Laser photocoagulation for neovascular AMD have been available since the 1990s. However, more recently anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of neovascular AMD.  Anti-VEGF treatments are a group of medicines which reduce new blood vessel growth or oedema (swelling). There are a number of licensed anti-VEGF treatments on the market bevacizumab, ranibizumab, aflibercept, brolucizumab, and faricimab. These therapies are administered by intravitreal injection and research is ongoing to improved drug delivery and reducing the frequency of the dose with innovative solutions such as ocular implants for sustained drug delivery and one time gene therapies.​¹⁴​

Access the full bibliography here.