Wet AMD Treatments

Until recently, no effective treatments were known for wet macular degeneration. However, new drugs, called anti-angiogenics or anti-VEGF (anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) agents, can cause regression of the abnormal blood vessels and improvement of vision when injected directly into the vitreous humor of the eye. The injections can be painful and frequently have to be repeated on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Examples of these agents include ranibizumab (trade name Lucentis), bevacizumab (trade name Avastin, a close chemical relative of ranibizumab) and pegaptanib (trade name Macugen). Only ranibizumab and pegaptanib are approved by the FDA for AMD as of April 2007. Bevacizumab is approved, but for other indications. Pegaptanib (Macugen) has been found to have benefits in neovascular AMD. Worldwide, bevacizumab has been used extensively despite its “off label” status. The cost of ranibizumab (Lucentis) is approximately US$2000 per treatment while the cost of bevacizumab (Avastin) is about $225, which includes the medication and the injection. Both drugs are made by Genentech.