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ATLAS study: Treat-and-extend with aflibercept reduces AMD treatment burden
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SAN FRANCISCO — Treat-and-extend aflibercept therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration improved vision and significantly reduced the treatment burden at 2 years, according to a scientific poster presented here at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.
“A treat-and-extend injection protocol using aflibercept for neovascular age-related macular degeneration allowed more than a third of patients to achieve an injection interval of 12 weeks or longer,” lead author David C. Reed, MD, wrote.
The prospective, multicenter, open-label ATLAS study included 40 eyes of 40 patients treated every 4 weeks with Eylea (aflibercept, Regeneron) until no signs of macular exudation were visible.
The treatment intervals were extended by 2 weeks until an exudative recurrence occurred or a treatment interval of 16 weeks was attained.
An average of eight treatments improved best corrected visual acuity by a median of 11 letters and decreased central retinal thickness by 163 µm in year 1.
In year 2, an average of 5.9 treatments sustained an 11-letter improvement in BCVA and a 161-µm reduction in central retinal thickness.
A treatment interval of 8 weeks or longer was achieved in 71% of patients at 1 year and 82% at 2 years. A treatment interval of 12 weeks or longer was achieved in 35% of patients at 1 year and 41% at 2 years.
No ocular or systemic adverse events were identified. – by Matt Hasson
Reference:
Reed DC, et al. Prospective, multicenter study of aflibercept treat and extend therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration using the ATLAS protocol: one and two year results. Presented at: American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting; Aug. 9-14, 2016. San Francisco.
Disclosure: Reed reports he is a consultant for Regeneron.