Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitors For The Treatment Of Ophthalmological Diseases

Vascular endothelial growth factor has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of ocular vascular conditions characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and macular edema. Neovascular age related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by CNV which is the growth of abnormal choroidal blood vessels beneath the macula. This abnormal vascular growth causes severe loss of vision and is responsible for most of the loss of vision caused by AMD. Angiostatic agents block a stage in the vascular growth pathway leading to new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and therefore are disease modifying by inhibiting the development of newly formed vessels. Angiogenesis inhibitors are also being evaluated for the treatment of other disorders of choroidal circulation, including central serous chorioretinopathy pathologic myopia, presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, angioid streaks, idiopathic CNV, uveitis, choroidal rupture or trauma, and chorioretinal scars Examples of angiogenesis inhibiting drugs for treating choroidal vascular conditions are Ranibizumab (Lucentis™), and Bevacizumab (Avastin®) from Genentech. <a id="