(Press-News.org) Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains a leading cause of vision loss globally, with significant advancements in treatment options for both dry and wet AMD. As highlighted by Huang and colleagues, "Current therapies for dry AMD have limited effectiveness in halting the progression of geographic atrophy (GA), underscoring the need for innovative approaches".
One of the most notable breakthroughs is the FDA approval of pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol, targeting the complement system to slow GA progression. Pegcetacoplan, a C3 inhibitor, reduced GA lesion growth by 19–22% in clinical trials, while avacincaptad pegol, a C5 inhibitor, showed a 35% reduction. These therapies address the inflammatory component of AMD, offering hope for a condition previously deemed untreatable.
For wet AMD, anti-VEGF therapies continue to dominate, but newer options like faricimab—a bispecific antibody targeting VEGF and angiopoietin-2—stand out. Faricimab allows extended dosing intervals (up to 16 weeks), reducing the burden of frequent injections. As Gao et al. note, "Combining complement inhibition with anti-VEGF therapy holds significant potential," exemplified by IBI302, a dual-targeting drug currently in Phase III trials.
Surprisingly, photobiomodulation (PBM) emerged as a non-invasive option for dry AMD, improving visual acuity by 2.4 letters in the LIGHTSITE III trial. Meanwhile, gene therapy (e.g., RGX-314) and stem cell-based treatments show promise but remain experimental.
These advancements not only refine existing treatments but also challenge traditional paradigms. For instance, the shift from monthly injections to longer-acting therapies could revolutionize patient care. However, challenges like retinal vasculitis with pegcetacoplan remind us of the need for cautious optimism.
In summary, the AMD treatment landscape is evolving rapidly, with novel mechanisms and improved delivery systems offering brighter prospects for patients. As research continues, the focus on combination therapy and personalized precision medicine may further transform outcomes.
END
Recent advancements in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration
2025-07-18
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Comprehensive multi-omics integration reveals B cell-derived ELL2 as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in sepsis
2025-07-18
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by organ dysfunction resulting from the body's dysregulated response to infection. Annually, sepsis affects more than 31 million people worldwide, with a mortality rate of approximately 30%. The disease is characterized by rapid progression, poor prognosis, and high mortality, posing significant challenges in critical care medicine. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for improving patient outcomes. In a study published in the journal "Med Research," a team of researchers ...
How tumor microbes shape cancer: New insights into microbial diversity in the tumor microenvironment
2025-07-18
Intratumoral microbiota—the microbial populations residing within solid tumors—have emerged as pivotal components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), influencing tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic outcomes. In a comprehensive review published in Med Research, researchers from Southern Medical University and collaborating institutions systematically examine the heterogeneity of these microorganisms and their multifaceted roles in cancer biology.
The authors categorize microbial heterogeneity at three distinct levels: among different ...
AI-powered biomarker system redefines thyroid cancer progression and subtypes
2025-07-18
Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is typically indolent, and some patients may be managed conservatively without immediate surgery. However, it remains a clinical challenge to determine who is suitable for active surveillance and to identify when disease progression may occur.
A new study led by researchers at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University addresses this issue by developing an innovative dynamic biomarker system. Using an optimized dynamic network biomarker (DNB) algorithm, the team identified ...
Digestive cancers in China: A two-decade burden with uneven gains in life expectancy
2025-07-18
Digestive system malignancies (DSMTs)—including oesophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers—represent a major public health challenge in China. A recent national epidemiological study by Hu et al., published in eGastroenterology, analysed trends from 2004 to 2021, revealing complex patterns of burden and survival. While progress has been made in reducing mortality from some cancers, the overall impact remains significant, with notable disparities across demographic and geographic lines. Below ...
ANXA2+ migratory hepatocytes identified as key players in human liver regeneration
2025-07-18
Acute liver failure (ALF) represents a life-threatening condition marked by rapid deterioration of liver function, often necessitating urgent liver transplantation. In the United States, acetaminophen (APAP) overdose remains the most common cause of drug-induced ALF, accounting for nearly half of all cases. Given the scarcity of viable donor livers—worsened by the prevalence of steatotic liver disease—understanding and promoting the liver's intrinsic regenerative capacity has become an urgent priority ...
Researchers demonstrate a new material to reduce power consumption of electronics
2025-07-18
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (07/18/2025) — Research from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities gives new insight into a material that could make computer memory faster and more energy-efficient.
The study was recently published in Advanced Materials, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The researchers also have a patent on the technology.
As technology continues to grow, so does the demand for emerging memory technology. Researchers are looking for alternatives and complements to existing memory solutions that can perform at high levels with ...
New chemical tool may improve development of key drug components
2025-07-18
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Chemists have developed a novel way to generate a variety of highly useful chemical building blocks by harnessing metal carbenes, suggests new research.
Typically used in chemical reactions essential for drug synthesis and materials development, carbenes are short-lived, highly reactive carbon atoms. In the lab, this can make carbenes especially tricky to create, as methods to form them are limited and often hazardous.
Now, for the first time, an approach discovered by researchers at The Ohio State University has made producing these ...
IEEE study achieves efficient integration of quantum dot lasers on silicon chiplets
2025-07-18
Lasers that are fabricated directly onto silicon photonic chips offer several advantages over external laser sources, such as greater scalability. Furthermore, photonic chips with these “monolithically” integrated lasers can be commercially viable if they can be manufactured in standard semiconductor foundries.
III-V semiconductor lasers can be monolithically integrated with photonic chips by directly growing a crystalline layer of laser material, such as indium arsenide, on silicon substrate. However, photonic chips with such integrated laser source are challenging to manufacture due ...
Researchers discover that sound stress alone can prolong and intensify pain
2025-07-18
Pain is an important physiological response in living organisms. While physical pain is an outcome of tissue damage, pain can manifest as diverse unpleasant sensory and emotional experiences. Many studies report that emotional or psychological stress enhances pain responses. Furthermore, mice housed with other mice experiencing inflammatory pain exhibit a ‘bystander effect’ with heightened pain sensitivity, or ‘hyperalgesia.’ However, the effects that underpin social pain transmission remain elusive.
Rodents emit ultrasonic vocalizations in the form of high-pitched squeaks in response to various stimuli, including pain, in ...
Less pain, more gain: A new recipe for safer, stronger mRNA vaccines
2025-07-18
As millions of people know firsthand, the most common side effect of mRNA vaccines like the COVID-19 shot is inflammation: soreness, redness and a day or two of malaise. But what if mRNA vaccines could be redesigned to sidestep that response altogether?
In a new paper in Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania show that tweaking the structure of the ionizable lipid, a key component of the lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that deliver mRNA, not only reduces inflammation but also boosts vaccine effectiveness for preventing or treating a range of diseases, from COVID-19 to cancer.
The ...