The United States has approved the use of Eylea, a new drug to treat age-related macular degeneration. It adds an important new weapon to the ongoing battle against the eye disease.
Eylea is similar to the other two main drugs in the market, Lucentis and Macugen. It inhibits a factor that makes unwanted blood vessels grow in the retina. The blood vessels can leak blood and fluid,
causing damage to the retina. Eylea blocks all forms of this factor,
called VEGF, and also blocks a second similar factor.
But compared to Lucentis and Macugen, Eylea requires fewer injections and is hence cheaper for patients. Lucentis is given once every month, although some patients may
need treatment only once every three months. Macugen is given every six
weeks. Eylea is given once every two months after three once-a-month
injections. All three of these drugs are given by injection into the eye with a tiny needle.
In clinical trials, Eylea has worked as well as Lucentis. But the drug can cause some side effects. In clinical trials, the most common were bleeding in the white part of the eye at the site of injection, eye pain, cataracts, detachment of the gel part of the eye (vitreous) from the retina, floating spots in the vision, and increased pressure within the eye.
