Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

FDA Clears Drug to Fight Age-Related Eye Disease
The Washington Post ^ | December 18, 2004 | NA

Posted on 12/18/2004 11:27:39 AM PST by neverdem

Associated Press

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday approved a new drug designed to treat the leading cause of blindness in older Americans.

Age-related macular degeneration destroys the light-sensitive tissue in the center of the retina, causing vision to fail gradually from the center outward.

The new drug, Macugen, attacks the rapidly progressing "wet" type of AMD, in which new blood vessels form behind the retina and then leak, damaging the macula. That form affects an estimated 1.6 million Americans over 50, and about 6.3 million are expected to be affected by 2030 as the baby boomers age.

Macugen inhibits the protein VEGF, slowing the growth of these blood vessels. VEGF has been shown to play a role in abnormal blood vessel growth.

"It's the first pharmaceutical directed to the basic pathology of the disease," said Donald J. D'Amico, a professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, who conducted clinical trials of the drug.

D'Amico said that untreated patients had about a 45 percent chance of significant vision loss in a year, compared with 30 percent for patients treated with Macugen.

Macugen, chemically known as pegaptanib sodium injection, is being jointly developed and marketed by Eyetech Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer Inc. It is expected to be available to doctors early next year.

It is injected into the vitreous gel in the eye, D'Amico said. He said the injections were well tolerated by the patients, with more than 90 percent continuing with the treatment.

Other treatments for wet AMD include laser surgery to destroy the fragile, leaky blood vessels or a light-sensitive drug that is injected and activated to destroy the blood vessels by shining a light in the eye. Neither is a cure, though they can slow progression of the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Technical; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: aging; amd; fda; health; healthcare; macugen; maculardegeneration
VEGF probably stands for vascular endothelial growth factor, or some kind of growth factor. Eyeball injections, ouch!
1 posted on 12/18/2004 11:27:39 AM PST by neverdem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: neverdem

I can't even stand the glaucoma tests.


2 posted on 12/18/2004 11:38:27 AM PST by flashbunny (Every thought that enters my head requires its own vanity thread.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

Age-related macular degeneration runs in our family, but my sister says only blue-eyed people are afflicted with it so we are safe. Does anyone know of this?


3 posted on 12/18/2004 11:44:14 AM PST by eccentric (aka baldwidow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: eccentric

As a blue-eyed degenerate, I take this serious. Heh heh heh...


4 posted on 12/18/2004 11:47:41 AM PST by DoughtyOne (US socialist liberalism would be dead without the help of politicians who claim to be conservatives)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
VEGF probably stands for vascular endothelial growth factor

Or, even worse, it might stand for.....


5 posted on 12/18/2004 11:51:22 AM PST by Lazamataz ("Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown" -- harpseal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Too bad the FDA is nothing more than a puppet of Pfeizer, Merck, Bristol-Myer-Squibb, etc., because you really have no idea if this drug will be effective or if it will kill you.

When a drug company registers a drug for FDA approval, they also hand over $500,000 for the FDA to hire people to evaluate the clinical study. If the FDA finds anything wrong with the drug, the money stream ends.

If they don't find anything wrong, the drug companies keep handing the FDA more money to fund the oversight until the drug is approved.

You do the math.

6 posted on 12/18/2004 12:01:56 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

folks, I'd at least try the vitamin regimes recommended for the condition.
I asked a prominent eye-surgeon about this approach about a decade ago...
and he said that if he had macular degeneration, he'd at least give it a try.


7 posted on 12/18/2004 12:05:31 PM PST by VOA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: eccentric

My parent's doctor told them that those with blue, green or hazel colored eyes were more likely to get macular degeneration. But it doesn't preclude people with brown eyes from getting the disease. Both my parents had it. One had blue eyes, the other green and mine are hazel. I don't have it - yet. Their doctor said not wearing sunglasses and smoking (having the smoke drifting up into your eyes) may well be associated with getting the disease. This medicine appears to me to only be for "wet" macular degeneration. The dry kind is most prevalent and what my parents had. In that type there is a build-up of stuff called drusen that causes the vision loss. This is from memory, so may no be exact. If you google it you can find out a lot about both types.


8 posted on 12/18/2004 12:17:25 PM PST by abbi_normal_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne

MY parents and all three sisters have or had it, my eye doctor told me 15 years ago to start taking Bilberry daily (an herb). Have done so and am 67 and have no signs of it what so ever. We are all blue eyed. Also have all ways worn wrap around sun glasses which the doctor said all blue eyed people should do.


9 posted on 12/18/2004 12:18:43 PM PST by lolhelp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: eccentric

Also was told that lutein and zinc are good to take for prevention. I take 20 mg lutein and a multi with zinc. So far, so good.


10 posted on 12/18/2004 12:21:04 PM PST by abbi_normal_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: lolhelp

Bilberry and wraparounds...

Bilberry and wraparounds...

Bilberry and wraparounds...

Don't mind me, just making a memory.

Heh heh heh, thanks for the report. Good for you.


11 posted on 12/18/2004 12:21:34 PM PST by DoughtyOne (US socialist liberalism would be dead without the help of politicians who claim to be conservatives)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson