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Having recently discussed the news that aspirin could have an adverse effect on the elderly in respect of 'wet' age-related macular degeneration or AMD, a new drug, Eylea, has been approved for use in the United States in the treatment of this condition. Following extensive review processes, the drug is now anticipated to enter the market in the very near future.
Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition, affecting the vision of older adults primarily. The macula, or the centre of a persons visual field, is compromised due to retinal damage. It is a major cause of visual impairment in adults over the age of 50 years old, and also holds a distinct threat of blindness. There are two forms to the disease, 'wet' and 'dry'. The 'wet' form, or neovascular AMD, is caused by abnormal blood vessel growth, which in turn leads to blood and protein leakage below the macula. The drug Eylea has been designed to treat this form of the eye related condition.
Following it's priority review by the US Food and Drug Administration, it is expected that the biopharmaceutical company Regeneron will begin selling the treatment immediately. During review, the drug was classified as a priority case due to the fact that the drug offered 'major advancements for a condition that has no adequate therapy.' The company has expressed delight that the product will soon be available to combat a disease which is currently potentially blinding.
Eylea's big selling point is it's comparative treatment results to other anti-VEGF agents while requiring much less frequent monitoring and injections thus resulting in lowered costs and increased time efficiency for patients and specialists alike.