Are you aware of the latest breakthroughs in macular degeneration research? Many experts have found new treatment options that are in the testing phase and may be available for consumer use very soon which will improve AMD patient’s lives. Learn the details about these breakthroughs in this article. Visit our clinic or check our website at https://www.ophthalmologybrooklyn.com to see all the services that can help you manage your eye condition.

Latest research breakthroughs

Here are some of the recent research breakthroughs in macular degeneration you should know about:

New treatments for wet AMD
These new treatment options for wet AMD help preserve your eyesight without requiring frequent injections in your eyes.

1. Anti-VEGF drugs:

In 2004, a groundbreaking new treatment called anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) became available. These drugs including drugs such as Lucentis, Eylea, and Avastin can stop the blood vessels from growing, manage the leakage, and slow down the damage to the macula. This is very effective for people with wet AMD to preserve their central vision.

The only drawback to anti-VEGF injections is they need to be given to your eye every 4 to 6 weeks (about 1 and a half months). Recently, new types of anti-VEGF treatments have been developed that don’t need to be administered as often as the current 4 to 6-week regimen. Some experts believe that a few treatment options that have been developed recently may even cure the disease.

It may also be possible that a combination of two drugs hit wet AMD with a double punch. These combos not only improve vision but also make the injection’s effect last longer. Opthea’s OPT-302 is currently in clinical trials to get better outcomes than one drug of anti-VEGF treatments alone.

2. Retinal Gene therapy:

This is a new promising treatment for wet AMD which involves retinal gene therapy as an alternative to monthly eye injections. In this therapy, your body creates its anti-VEGF by inserting a harmless virus carrying the anti-VEGF gene into a person’s DNA.

More specifically, RGX-314 gene therapy only requires one injection, however, you need a surgical procedure. This treatment is currently in clinical research trials.

Studies on RGX-314

Currently, this retinal gene therapy has been approved by the FDA for other retinal eye conditions, and this type of treatment looks very promising for people with AMD. RGX-314 can block VEGF for years after it is administered. However, it may trigger the development of the symptoms of wet AMD, the immature blood vessels may leak blood into the retina. In an early clinical trial with 42 participants, 9 out of 12 study participants didn’t need any further anti-VEGF injections for 6 months after one RGX-314 injection.

ADVM-022

This is another effective type of gene therapy that is given in an outpatient setting. This therapy is called ADVM-022 and is also moving through clinical trials. It’s estimated that both of these therapies may be available to people with wet AMD in 2023.

3. The port delivery system:

This system is a very small apparatus that can store anti-VEGF medication. It can be implanted into the eye during a surgical procedure. It provides a continuous release of anti-VEGF medication into the eye.

This system allows people with wet AMD to avoid eye injections altogether. The procedure enables people with wet AMD to go up to 2 years without requiring treatment. Refilling medication can be done via a doctor’s office visit. However, the procedure to refill the medication is a bit more complex than the anti-VEGF injections, the most common treatment method for wet AMD. This method of treatment may be available for consumer use in 2023.

Study of Lucentis (Ranibizumab) Port Delivery System

A 2019 early-phase clinical trial published in the American Academy of Ophthalmology assessed the safety and effectiveness of the Port Delivery System with the anti-VEGF drug Lucentis for wet AMD treatment.

The study found that the PDS was well tolerated in people with age-related AMD; it resulted in a response comparable with monthly intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF treatments.

4. Eye drops:

Anti-VEGF eye drops for wet AMD is another new treatment method for AMD which is in the initial stages of clinical trials but not used on humans, only tested on animals. Once the medicated eye drops are considered safe for human use, clinical trials will begin. It may take the year 2030 for anti-VEGF eye drops for wet AMD to be available for consumer use.

5. Oral Tablets:

An anti-VEGF pill can be taken orally and may come to public use by 2025. This pill can eliminate or reduce the frequency of anti-VEGF injections. Now in clinical trials, developers of oral medication with wet AMD are focusing on working out the issues, as it causes many side effects right now such as nausea, leg cramps, and liver changes. Once these issues get solved it will be considered safe, and ready for consumer use.

6. Longer-Lasting Anti-VEGF injections:

Several new anti-VEGF medications focused on reducing the frequency of injections are being developed by the drug industry. These include drugs like Abicipar and Sunitinab, which may be available between 2023 and 2025. Another new drug, Beovu has already been approved for use in the U.S. It is available in the form of injection which lasts for 3 months, and this innovative medication is more effective at drying fluid that builds up in the retina due to wet AMD.

7. Radiation therapy:

This type of treatment is similar to cancer treatment. It slows the growth of abnormal blood vessels caused by wet AMD. Radiation therapy also works in the same way as it used to treat cancer. It destroys fast-growing cells. However, long-term safety still needs to be checked before considering radiation therapy as a mainstream option for AMD treatment. There are two types of radiation therapy available in the UK and Switzerland which are under clinical trials in the United States.

New Treatment for Dry AMD

The majority of cases come from dry AMD. Currently, there are no treatment options available for it, however, some promising new therapies are rising.

8. Stem Cell Therapies:

This therapy is becoming common in many types of treatment today including many forms of cancer, as well as for dry AMD. The goal of stem cell therapy for AMD is that new stem cells replace retinal cells that are damaged or destroyed by the symptoms of AMD. This is generally given into the body’s blood circulation, via IV infusion. However, researchers are working on how to transplant stem cells directly into the eyes. One strategy involves placing the stem cells into a fluid suspension that can be injected under the retina. Although stem cell therapy for AMD has been studied in small clinical trials, the experts say this treatment can produce promising results. The only drawback now is it may not be proven safe for consumers until 2030 to 2035.

Study of Stem Cell Therapy for AMD

A small study, involving certain participants with wet AMD, found that using a person’s stem cells to replace damaged retinal cells can result in maintaining visual acuity for almost 1 year after the procedure.

This indicates that surgery helped to halt the progression of the disease. However, this study is not enough to be considered effective for dry AMD, many scientists are confident that upcoming studies on stem cell therapy for dry AMD will be promising.

9. Injection for Dry AMD:

Apl-2 is a drug that can be injected directly into the back of the eye to slow down the progress of dry AMD and protect the retinal cells from being destroyed. This treatment is still in clinical trials and is expected to be available around 2023 to 2025.

The latest Advances in Macular degeneration can give better treatment options for AMD patients, some of them may even lead to a cure as well. We need to wait until their clinical trials get completed and these treatment options can become safe for consumer use.

For more details or help with AMD, you can either visit our eye clinic in Brooklyn or call us to get a consultation. At Doral Health and Wellness Ophthalmology Center, our eye doctors can help you recover from all types of eye conditions and diseases. To schedule an appointment, please call us at 1-347-384-5690 or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212. You can also visit our website at https://www.ophthalmologybrooklyn.com.