Aflibercept: a Potent Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Antagonist for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Other Retinal Vascular Diseases

INTRODUCTION: In the western hemisphere, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual loss in the elderly. Currently approved therapies for AMD include argon laser, photodynamic therapy, and antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. The index review discusses aflibercept (VEGF Trap-Eye) in the context of current anti-VEGF therapies for neovascular AMD and other retinal vascular diseases. It highlights important differences between VEGF Trap-Eye and currently used anti-VEGF therapies for neovascular AMD; and discusses the efficacy of these treatments utilizing information from landmark clinical trials. METHODS: A systematic search of literature was conducted on PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus with no limitations of language or years of publication. RESULTS: Preclinical studies have shown that VEGF Trap-Eye binds to VEGF-A with a higher affinity than other anti-VEGF molecules; and that it also binds to placental growth factor (PlGF). In clinical trials, VEGF Trap-Eye has been shown to be as effective in the treatment of neovascular AMD as other anti-VEGF therapies and possibly to have a longer duration of drug activity. CONCLUSION: VEGF Trap-Eye has enhanced the treatment options currently available for the management of neovascular AMD. The comparable efficacy of VEGF Trap-Eye (to other anti-VEGF agents) coupled with its longer dosing interval may decrease the number of annual office visits for patients with AMD and their caregivers.