AMD Therapeutic Interventions

Early & Intermediate AMD

No therapy has been developed to treat early and/or intermediate AMD. Antioxidant and mineral supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of progression of early & intermediate AMD to late AMD (AREDS & AREDS2).⁸ Supplements containing vitamins C & E, zinc & copper and lutein & zeaxanthin are recommended.

Late AMD

Geographic Atrophy (GA) – No specific therapy has been developed to treat GA. The best available treatment for GA is provision of support and rehabilitation services to enable the individual to prolong their quality of life. Several potential therapies are being investigated for their suitability to treat Geographic Atrophy.

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.

• Beovu (Brolucizumab) is an anti-VEGF treatment which was approved by the FDA for treating wet AMD and is also approved in all 27 European Union Member states, as well as the UK, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Beovu administration achieves significant improvements in visual acuity, while also reducing fluid accumulation in participants. Additionally, Beovu has the potential to maintain visual function in eligible participants through quarterly dosing intervals, which is a big step in improving patient adherence to therapy.

Access the full bibliography here.