VIDEO: Recent approvals for geographic atrophy ‘exciting development’ in AMD

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Given how common AMD is, there’s constantly a lot of developments and research in this field. However, if I have to pick one, I would say the most exciting development in the field of AMD in the past few months has been the approval of two medications for the treatment of geographic atrophy. So, geographic atrophy is the advanced dry form of AMD where there’s thinning and atrophy of retinal tissue leading to significant visual loss and scotoma. Up to very recently, there’s been no treatment for this advanced late form at all, but this all changed about 6 months ago. So, about 6 months ago, the first ever treatment for geographic atrophy that goes by the trade name Syfovre (pegcetacoplan injection, Apellis Pharmaceuticals) was approved by the FDA. Again, it’s a repeated intravitreal injection given either monthly or bimonthly. It works by blocking C3. The second medication that was approved by the FDA, also for the treatment of geographic atrophy, it goes by the trade name of Izervay (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution, Iveric Bio). Again, it’s been shown in a randomized clinical trial that intravitreal injection can slow down the progression of geographic atrophy.