nih-gov/www.nei.nih.gov/node/4090
2025-02-26 13:17:41 -05:00

796 lines
42 KiB
Text
Raw Permalink Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" dir="ltr">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<meta name="description" content="This year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Syfovre (pegcetacoplan) and Izervay (avacincaptad pegol), the very first drugs for treating geographic atrophy (GA), also known as late-stage “dry” age-related macular degeneration (AMD)." />
<meta name="keywords" content="Age-Related Macular Degeneration,Retina" />
<meta name="google" content="vityevxlt8UuVFWvgz9_YwmJ5F0Nby_B3t54LLh-3Zw,lACaj571Gx_VdLF3HKSKUf1Wxx0H_bWxO3BYDZ_C1uw" />
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="vityevxlt8UuVFWvgz9_YwmJ5F0Nby_B3t54LLh-3Zw" />
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="lACaj571Gx_VdLF3HKSKUf1Wxx0H_bWxO3BYDZ_C1uw" />
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="UDfyeEAWNX_rJUHwog9j1kziEnByGwhkSJGLJclUWDA" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<script type="application/ld+json">{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@graph": [
{
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"@id": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs",
"name": "Story of discovery: NEI-funded research paves way for new dry AMD drugs",
"headline": "Story of discovery: NEI-funded research paves way for new dry AMD drugs",
"image": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"representativeOfPage": "False",
"url": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2023-12/dry%20amd%20fundus%20photo_0.jpg?itok=Yki7L8Vb",
"width": "525",
"height": "450"
},
"datePublished": "2023-12-12T14:42:57-0500",
"dateModified": "2025-01-14T10:36:44-0500",
"author": {
"@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs",
"name": "National Eye Institute",
"url": "https://www.nei.nih.gov"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs",
"name": "National Eye Institute",
"url": "https://www.nei.nih.gov"
}
},
{
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs",
"breadcrumb": {
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"name": "Home",
"item": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"name": "About NEI",
"item": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"name": "News and Events",
"item": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 4,
"name": "NEI Research News",
"item": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 5,
"name": "Story of discovery: NEI-funded research paves way for new dry AMD drugs ",
"item": "https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs"
}
]
},
"author": {
"@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.nei.nih.gov",
"name": "National Eye Institute",
"url": "https://www.nei.nih.gov"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.nei.nih.gov",
"name": "National Eye Institute",
"url": "https://www.nei.nih.gov"
}
}
]
}</script>
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/themes/custom/nei/images/favicon.png" />
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/themes/custom/nei/images/apple-touch-icon.png" />
<meta name="last-updated" content="Jan 14, 2025, 10:36:44 AM" />
<link rel="icon" href="/themes/custom/nei/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs" />
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs" />
<link rel="shortlink" href="https://www.nei.nih.gov/node/4090" />
<title>Story of discovery: NEI-funded research paves way for new dry AMD drugs | National Eye Institute</title>
<link rel="preload" href="/themes/custom/nei/fonts/Aleo-Bold.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin>
<link rel="preload" href="/themes/custom/nei/fonts/Lato-Regular.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin>
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/default/files/css/css_PGSk_7b88hq2qr_--_38MLvoj1ffr9jv3JhnNJTnKUM.css?delta=0&amp;language=en&amp;theme=nei&amp;include=eJw1ytEKgCAMRuEXsnwk-dMxrOliTqi3j4iuDnycfFCprpbyHK4tDb-FRvwSshrFYvOErNhxBUHnCaYEcbJ_61Qji26Q5ZXa-QH_YCJ9" />
<link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/themes/custom/nei/css/style.css?sraguf" />
<script type="application/json" data-drupal-selector="drupal-settings-json">{"path":{"baseUrl":"\/","pathPrefix":"","currentPath":"node\/4090","currentPathIsAdmin":false,"isFront":false,"currentLanguage":"en"},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","gtag":{"tagId":"","consentMode":false,"otherIds":[],"events":[],"additionalConfigInfo":[]},"suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"eJxdjFsOwjAMBC8U6iNFbmKZgPNQ7BTK6SmgCsrPrndkTbhSTFa7D0OtZq-2Cil8yoWOj5WYYT8c18pC3pCBt_jfE17wfoTZCRYeyORRjPruLmhpIS-b2EvFmArD73CFErDUGeWkoadmekCb5fXVsCN3bGeF2EdDmb5kGqWNWZKeKTpd1SjDjEpuSXRTeOeUaxxCT9WYZ50","theme":"nei","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":{"form_action_p_pvdeGsVG5zNF_XLGPTvYSKCf43t8qZYSwcfZl2uzM":true},"gtm":{"tagId":null,"settings":{"data_layer":"dataLayer","include_classes":false,"allowlist_classes":"google\nnonGooglePixels\nnonGoogleScripts\nnonGoogleIframes","blocklist_classes":"customScripts\ncustomPixels","include_environment":false,"environment_id":"","environment_token":""},"tagIds":["GTM-TLVNS7W"]},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"c48594e108b5c1c2bea409821b71477d5bc2724c8cae6d31f1d985af0daab85c"}}</script>
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_WgzMsgqb-MiW-Z2aLffGQHepZwX2hWrEHSrb46WqZrk.js?scope=header&amp;delta=0&amp;language=en&amp;theme=nei&amp;include=eJxdjEEOgCAMBD-E9kmkYrOpqdQAMerr5eBBvUx29jCp8HUKQOkZAe4wiY1B6Pj7yAsf33MNmZvuEq0nojnPmkFvCVmUYD6xDTUV3Vq9ATUbLxk"></script>
<script src="https://script.crazyegg.com/pages/scripts/0117/6571.js" async></script>
<script src="/modules/contrib/google_tag/js/gtag.js?sraguf"></script>
<script src="/modules/contrib/google_tag/js/gtm.js?sraguf"></script>
</head>
<body class="t-news_item t-node__4090 path-about-news-and-events-news-story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs">
<a href="#main-content" class="u-skip-link">
Skip to content
</a>
<noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-TLVNS7W"
height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas>
<div id="u-page-outer" class="u-outer">
<div class="views-element-container site-notice-block" id="block-views-block-site-notices-block-1">
<div>
<div class="js-view-dom-id-72cc1632abbd95ff8cb03c6ae8981e019774d612a073afaf82d31d2acd4b8a84 site-notices">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<img src="/themes/custom/nei/images/NEI-logo-tagline.svg" alt="" width="200" height="48" class="u-print-only">
<div class="r-global-header">
<div id="r-header-outer" class="r-header">
<div class="r-header-inner">
<div id="block-nei-branding" class="o-block--logo" role="banner">
<div class="o-logo">
<a href="/" class="o-logo__link" title="Home" rel="home"><span class="o-logo__text">National Eye Institute</span> <span class="o-logo__tagline">Research Today&hellip; Vision Tomorrow</span></a>
</div>
</div>
<div id="block-neimenubutton-2">
<div class="o-menu-toggle"><button class="o-menu-toggle__btn" id="menu-toggle__btn" aria-controls="block-mainnavigation" aria-expanded="true">Menu</button></div>
</div>
<div class="language-switcher-language-url has-no-translation" id="block-languageswitcher" role="navigation" aria-label="Language switcher">
<ul class="links">
<li class="is-active">
<a href="/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs" class="language-link is-active" lang="en" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/4090" aria-current="page">English</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/espanol/node/4090" class="language-link is-active" lang="es" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/4090" aria-current="page"> Español</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="search-global c-search--global" data-drupal-selector="search-global" id="block-globalsearchform" role="search">
<form action="/about/news-and-events/news/story-discovery-nei-funded-research-paves-way-new-dry-amd-drugs" method="post" id="search-global" accept-charset="UTF-8">
<div class="c-form__inner">
<div class="js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textfield form-item-global-terms js-form-item-global-terms">
<label for="edit-global-terms">Search the site</label>
<input data-drupal-selector="edit-global-terms" type="text" id="edit-global-terms" name="global-terms" value="" size="30" maxlength="128" placeholder="Search the site" class="form-text" />
</div>
<input data-drupal-selector="form-njh8wdtf5ulysl8ylk1qnjcet7lskfhvvnftms3obpg" type="hidden" name="form_build_id" value="form-Njh8wDTF5ulYSl8yLK1qNJCeT7lSkFHVVNftms3ObPg" />
<input data-drupal-selector="edit-search-global" type="hidden" name="form_id" value="search_global" />
<div data-drupal-selector="edit-global-actions" class="form-actions js-form-wrapper form-wrapper" id="edit-global-actions"><input data-drupal-selector="edit-global-submit" type="submit" id="edit-global-submit" name="op" value="Search" class="button js-form-submit form-submit" />
</div>
</div>
</form>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="r-menu-primary">
<nav aria-label="Main navigation" id="block-mainnavigation" class="o-menu-main__outer">
<ul class="o-menu o-menu-main"> <li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--expanded o-menu-main__item--no-js"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/39">Learn About Eye Health</a>
<ul class="o-menu o-menu-main__submenu"> <li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/healthy-vision" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/788">Healthy Vision</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases">Eye Conditions and Diseases</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/eye-health-data-and-statistics" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/825">Eye Health Data and Statistics</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/campaigns" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3859">Campaigns</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/vision-rehabilitation" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3865">Vision Rehabilitation</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/nei-for-kids" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/162">NEI for Kids</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/outreach-resources" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/125">Outreach Resources</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--expanded o-menu-main__item--no-js"> <a href="/grants-and-training" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/143">Grants and Training</a>
<ul class="o-menu-main__submenu o-menu"> <li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/grants-and-training/how-apply" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/145">How to Apply</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/grants-and-training/funding-opportunities" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/144">Funding Opportunities</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/grants-and-training/training-nei" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/146">Training at NEI</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/grants-and-training/funding-training-and-career-development" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/152">Funding for Training and Career Development</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/grants-and-training/policies-and-procedures" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/149">Policies and Procedures</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/grants-and-training/Prior-Approval-Requests" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/3918">Prior Approval Requests</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/grants-and-training/resources-researchers" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/150">Resources for Researchers</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/grants-and-training/contact-grants-and-funding-staff" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/151">Contact Grants and Funding Staff</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--expanded o-menu-main__item--no-js"> <a href="/research" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/41">Research at NEI</a>
<ul class="o-menu-main__submenu o-menu"> <li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/about/news-and-events/news" title="Research News" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="about/news-and-events/news">Research News</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/research/clinical-trials" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/132">Clinical Trials</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/research/research-labs-and-branches" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/270">Research Labs and Branches</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/research/jobs-and-training-opportunities-nei" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/564">Jobs and Training Opportunities at NEI</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/research/seminars" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/4048">NEI Research Seminars</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--expanded o-menu-main__item--no-js"> <a href="/about" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/275">About NEI</a>
<ul class="o-menu-main__submenu o-menu"> <li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/about/strategic-planning" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/2857">Strategic Planning</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/news-and-events" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/131">News and Events</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/goals-and-accomplishments" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/281">Goals and Accomplishments</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/nei-history" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/282">NEI History</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/nei-leadership" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/415">NEI Leadership</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/budget-and-congress" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/395">Budget and Congress</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item o-menu-main__item--collapsed"> <a href="/about/advisory-committees" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/285">Advisory Committees</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/learn-about-eye-health/outreach-resources/national-eye-health-education-program" title="National Eye Health Education Program" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/265">National Eye Health Education Program</a>
</li>
<li class="o-menu-main__item"> <a href="/about/donate-nei" class="o-menu-main__link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/286">Donate to NEI</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</nav>
</div>
</div>
<div class="o-overlay" aria-hidden="true"></div>
<div class="r-breadcrumb">
<div id="block-nei-breadcrumbs">
<nav aria-label="Breadcrumb">
<ol class="c-breadcrumb">
<li>
<a href="/">Home</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about">About NEI</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/news-and-events">News and Events</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="/about/news-and-events/news">NEI Research News</a>
</li>
<li>
Story of discovery: NEI-funded research paves way for new dry AMD drugs
</li>
</ol>
</nav>
</div>
</div>
<div class="r-page-header">
<div class="o-page-header">
<div id="block-nei-page-title">
<h1>
<span>Story of discovery: NEI-funded research paves way for new dry AMD drugs </span>
</h1>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="r-highlighted">
<div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div>
</div>
<div class="r-help">
</div>
<main id="main-content" class="r-main">
<div class="r-pre-content">
</div>
<div class="r-splitter">
<div class="r-content">
<div id="block-nei-content">
<article data-history-node-id="4090">
<div>
<div class="c-item__subtitle">
FDA approves first drugs to treat the dry form of age-related macular degeneration
</div>
<div class="c-item__date">
December 12, 2023
</div>
<div class="c-item__tag c-item__tag--topic">
<a href="/about/news-and-events/news?topic=246" hreflang="en">Age-Related Macular Degeneration</a>
<a href="/about/news-and-events/news?topic=7" hreflang="en">Retina</a>
</div>
<div class="c-item__tag c-item__tag--research-type">
<a href="/about/news-and-events/news?research=35" hreflang="en">Translational Research</a>
</div>
<div class="c-item__tag c-item__tag--source">
<a href="/about/news-and-events/news?source=123" hreflang="en">NEI</a>
</div>
<div class="o-news__content">
<div class="c-text">
<p>This year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Syfovre (pegcetacoplan) and Izervay (avacincaptad pegol), the very first drugs for treating geographic atrophy (GA), also known as late-stage “dry” age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Both drugs target the immune systems complement pathway, and while the drugs were brought to market by the private sector, they represent years of support from the National Eye Institute (NEI) in the form of grants to research campuses around the country.</p>
</div>
<div class="c-image c-image--has-caption c-image--left">
<div class="c-image__src">
<img src="https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/small/public/2023-12/syringe%20and%20vials.jpg?itok=RWrPuwyy" alt="Syringe and two vials" width="1350" height="900">
</div>
<div class="c-image__caption">
<p>Syfovre (pegcetacoplan) and Izervay (avacincaptad pegol) are approved to treat geographic atrophy, also known as late-stage "dry" age-related macular degeneration. They are administered through eye injection. Adobe Stock.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<p>“This is truly an exciting time for the field and underscores the importance of basic and translational scientific research,” said NEI Director Michael F. Chiang, M.D. “These advances in AMD therapeutics wouldnt have happened without federal support through funding from the National Eye Institute.”</p>
</div>
<div class="c-image c-image--has-caption c-image--wide">
<div class="c-image__src">
<img src="https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2023-12/eye%20diagram%20with%20macula_0.jpg?itok=DpdsiKQS" alt="Illustration of eye" width="973" height="900">
</div>
<div class="c-image__caption">
<p>Cross-section of the eye. National Eye Institute.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<p>AMD is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness for Americans aged 65 years and older. An estimated 20 million Americans have AMD. Of these, about 1.5 million have vision-threatening AMD.<sup>1</sup> AMD affects the light-sensing tissue in the back of the eye called the retina. Most vision loss occurs when AMD damages the macula, a central part of the retina responsible for sharp, straight-ahead vision.</p>
</div>
<div class="c-image c-image--has-caption c-image--left">
<div class="c-image__src">
<img src="https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/small/public/2023-12/AMD%20simulation%202023-11-29_1.jpg?itok=FmHTIYif" alt="AMD simulation" width="1200" height="800">
</div>
<div class="c-image__caption">
<p>Caption: Simulated vision loss from advanced AMD. National Eye Institute.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<h2>The AMD-complement connection</h2><p>The complement pathway protects against pathogens by triggering a cascade of proteins that enhance the bodys immune response. Complement proteins C1 through C9 provide the “gas” for activation, while others like complement factor H (CFH) and complement factor I (CFI) act as “brakes.” Working together, these opposing pedals enable the body to fight infection and destroy damaged cells while sparing healthy tissue. But slight variations in complement proteins can upset this balance, leading to disease states.</p><p>In 2005, an NEI-funded research team discovered strong associations between CFH and AMD as part of the first genome-wide association study (GWAS).<sup>2</sup> GWASs enable comparisons of whole genomes (the complete set of human genes) of hundreds or thousands of people to isolate associations between traits such as increased disease risk and genetic variants. Four other NEI-funded studies that published at around the same time also associated the same CFH variant with AMD risk.<sup>3-6</sup> The results led scientists to hypothesize that AMD was part of an inflammatory response, possibly triggered by other known AMD risk factors such as diet and smoking. In light of these findings, NEI assembled the International AMD Genomics Consortium, comprising 33 research institutions. The effort identified 34 regions of the human genome associated with AMD that could potentially serve as drug targets.<sup>7</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<h2>Dry versus wet AMD</h2><p>Late-stage AMD comes in a wet form, so-called because abnormal new blood vessels leak fluid into the macula, potentially causing vision loss. Wet AMD accounts for about 10 percent of AMD cases. GA is the late stage of the dry form of AMD, which is defined by retinal lesions. Laser therapies became available in 1982 for wet AMD. In the early 2000s, ophthalmologists began treating wet AMD by blocking abnormal blood vessel activity in the retina by injecting anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) into the eye. Anti-VEGF drugs such as Avastin (bevacizumab) and Lucentis (ranibizumab) not only slowed wet AMD progression but, in most cases, reversed vision loss—a major game-changer for patients with wet AMD.</p>
</div>
<div class="c-image c-image--has-caption c-image--wide">
<div class="c-image__src">
<img src="https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2023-12/Fundus%20photos%20normal%20versus%20amd.jpg?itok=qFuDJvik" alt="Fundus photos" width="3725" height="1163">
</div>
<div class="c-image__caption">
<p>Photos of the retina. From left to right are a normal retina, a retina with wet AMD (neovascularization), and a retina with dry AMD (geographic atrophy). Emily Chew, National Eye Institute.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<p>The watershed discovery of CFHs role in AMD—and subsequent associations of other CFH region variants and with other complement genes—opened the door for targeting complement proteins with drug therapies; however, translating these discoveries into therapies for dry AMD was slower.</p>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<h2>Homing in</h2><p>In 2013, three studies, led by Anand Swaroop, Ph.D., NEI Intramural Research Program; NEI grantee Johanna Seddon, Ph.D., formerly of Tufts Medical Center; and a commercial team at deCode Genetics in Iceland, converged on a rare variant of the C3 gene that increases AMD risk by about 3-fold. The finding suggested that suppressing the complement system, and particularly C3, could be useful against AMD.<sup>8-10</sup> Homing in on control of the eyes immune system had finally paid off.</p><p>C3 plays a role in each of three parallel complement cascades, known as the classical, alternative, and lectin pathways. NEI funded complement expert John Lambris, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, to study C3s role in AMD and to develop methods to activate or inhibit it. Lambris filed several patents for compstatins, molecules that modify C3 function. His discoveries led to the development of Syfovre for GA by Apellis Pharmaceuticals.</p><p>Izervay inhibits complement factor 5 protein (C5). C5 plays a different role in the complement system, operating downstream of C3 at the point where the three complement cascades converge. C5 is elevated in AMD patients, and inhibiting this molecule may preserve specific anti-inflammatory properties of C3. Research into the role of C5 in AMD also received public funding, from both NIH and the Veterans Administration.</p>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<h2>Clinical trials</h2><p>In clinical trials, both Syfovre and Izervay demonstrated an ability to slow the rate of GA progression, preserving sharp, central vision. Monthly administration of Syfovre decreased the rate of lesion growth by 18-22% over two years.<sup>11</sup> Monthly administration of Izervay decreased the rate of lesion growth by 14% over one year.<sup>12</sup></p><p>“Small effects of these drugs on GA are not surprising, as these molecules are targeted to one complement component,” noted Swaroop. “GA is a complex trait and not a single gene disease, he added.</p><p>But while both Syfovre and Izervay slow GA progression, patients receiving either drug are at an increased risk for developing wet AMD. Additionally, since FDA approval, the administration of Syfovre has been associated with a very rare but potentially severe inflammatory reaction called occlusive retinal vasculitis. While therapies to treat wet AMD have become increasingly effective, some physicians and patients may hesitate to treat their GA with Syfovre or Izervay for concerns about developing wet AMD or other complications.</p>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<h2>The future</h2><p>Results of follow-up studies of Syfovre and Izervay will be important to fully understand the long-term impacts and, importantly, the risks of these new therapies, said Emily Chew, M.D., also of the NEI Intramural Research Program. “Does the treatment effect continue, accelerate, or does the effect level off? If there is an increase or a maintenance of the treatment effect, one would have greater confidence in the therapy.”</p><p>Follow-up research is also needed to understand which patients benefit the most from these new treatments, relative to the risks. The impact of GA on vision depends on where the damage is located in the eye—the closer to the macula, the greater the visual deficit, which may influence the decision to treat.</p><p>“Were at the very early stages,” said Rajendra Apte, M.D., Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, who was not involved in the development of these drugs. “We have our first therapeutics for GA, but its like photodynamic laser therapy for wet AMD, our goal was to reduce the risk of severe vision loss in a subset of patients.”</p><p>The approvals of Syfovre and Izervay represent the culmination of years of NEI-sponsored research and a launching point for future innovation. In addition to providing the first treatment option for dry AMD patients, the success of these new drugs provides proof-of-concept to target complement. Researchers are exploring additional drugs that target the complement cascade.</p>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<p><a href="/about/news-and-events/news?topic=246&amp;initiatives=All&amp;research=All&amp;source=All&amp;date=All&amp;language=All#views-exposed-form-news-page-page-1">More research news about AMD</a></p><p><a href="/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/age-related-macular-degeneration">AMD health information</a></p>
</div>
<div class="c-text">
<h3>References</h3><ol><li>Rein DB, Wittenborn JS, Burke-Conte Z, et al. Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the US in 2019. JAMA Ophthalmology. 2022;140(12):1202-1208. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.4401</li><li>Klein RJ, Zeiss C, Chew EY, et al. Complement factor H polymorphism in age-related macular degeneration. Science. Apr 15 2005;308(5720):385-9. doi:10.1126/science.1109557</li><li>Edwards AO, Ritter R, 3rd, Abel KJ, Manning A, Panhuysen C, Farrer LA. Complement factor H polymorphism and age-related macular degeneration. Science. Apr 15 2005;308(5720):421-4. doi:10.1126/science.1110189</li><li>Hageman GS, Anderson DH, Johnson LV, et al. A common haplotype in the complement regulatory gene factor H (HF1/CFH) predisposes individuals to age-related macular degeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. May 17, 2005 2005;102(20):7227-7232. doi:10.1073/pnas.0501536102</li><li>Haines JL, Hauser MA, Schmidt S, et al. Complement factor H variant increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Science. Apr 15 2005;308(5720):419-21. doi:10.1126/science.1110359</li><li>Zareparsi S, Branham KE, Li M, et al. Strong association of the Y402H variant in complement factor H at 1q32 with susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration. Am J Hum Genet. Jul 2005;77(1):149-53. doi:10.1086/431426</li><li>Fritsche LG, Igl W, Bailey JN, et al. A large genome-wide association study of age-related macular degeneration highlights contributions of rare and common variants. Nat Genet. Feb 2016;48(2):134-43. doi:10.1038/ng.3448</li><li>Helgason H, Sulem P, Duvvari MR, et al. A rare nonsynonymous sequence variant in C3 is associated with high risk of age-related macular degeneration. Nat Genet. Nov 2013;45(11):1371-4. doi:10.1038/ng.2740</li><li>Seddon JM, Yu Y, Miller EC, et al. Rare variants in CFI, C3 and C9 are associated with high risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. Nat Genet. Nov 2013;45(11):1366-70. doi:10.1038/ng.2741</li><li>Zhan X, Larson DE, Wang C, et al. Identification of a rare coding variant in complement 3 associated with age-related macular degeneration. Nat Genet. Nov 2013;45(11):1375-9. doi:10.1038/ng.2758</li><li>Heier JS, Lad EM, Holz FG, et al. Pegcetacoplan for the treatment of geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration (OAKS and DERBY): two multicentre, randomised, double-masked, sham-controlled, phase 3 trials. Lancet. Oct 21 2023;402(10411):1434-1448. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(23)01520-9</li><li>Khanani AM, Patel SS, Staurenghi G, et al. Efficacy and safety of avacincaptad pegol in patients with geographic atrophy (GATHER2): 12-month results from a randomised, double-masked, phase 3 trial. Lancet. Oct 21 2023;402(10411):1449-1458. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(23)01583-0</li></ol>
</div>
<div class="c-contact">
<h2 class="c-contact__heading">Contact</h2>
<div class="c-contact__label c-contact__name"><strong>Kristine Mackin or Claudia Costabile</strong></div>
<div class="c-contact__label c-contact__email">
<a href="mailto:neinews@nei.nih.gov">Email</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</article>
</div>
</div>
<aside class="r-sidebar" role="complementary">
<div class="views-element-container" id="block-views-block-nei-sidebar-block-1">
<div>
<div class="js-view-dom-id-f131463afd26ccb3ead5427fa95ef44e85d071aedb63aeb98ebdf253d562ffec nei-sidebar">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</aside>
</div>
</main>
<div class="r-footer">
<footer class="o-footer" role="contentinfo">
<div id="block-footer-2">
<div class="o-footer__row">
<div class="o-footer__group o-footer__group--logo"><a class="o-logo__link" href="/" rel="home" title="Home"><span class="o-logo__text">National Eye Institute</span></a>
<ul class="o-menu-social">
<li class="o-menu-social__item"><a class="o-menu-social__link o-menu-social__link--facebook outlink-ignore" href="https://www.facebook.com/NationalEyeInstitute">Facebook</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-social__item"><a class="o-menu-social__link o-menu-social__link--twitter outlink-ignore" href="https://twitter.com/NatEyeInstitute">Twitter</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-social__item"><a class="o-menu-social__link o-menu-social__link--linkedin outlink-ignore" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-eye-institute-nei">LinkedIn</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-social__item"><a class="o-menu-social__link o-menu-social__link--youtube outlink-ignore" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/neinih">YouTube</a></li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
<div class="o-footer__group o-footer__group--contact">
<h2 class="o-footer__title">Contact NEI</h2>
<ul class="o-menu-footer">
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="/contact-us/">Contact Us</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/visitor-information">Visit NIH</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?SUBED1=insidenei&amp;A=1">Get Email Updates from NEI</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="o-footer__group o-footer__group--policies">
<h2 class="o-footer__title">Policies</h2>
<ul class="o-menu-footer">
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="/accessibility-information">Accessibility</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://www.nih.gov/nondiscrimination-notice-language-assistance-services">Information in Other Languages</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="/nei-website-privacy-policy">Privacy</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="/freedom-information-act">Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="/disclaimers">Disclaimers</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="/web-policies ">Web Policies</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html ">Vulnerability Disclosure</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="o-footer__group o-footer__group--employees">
<h2 class="o-footer__title">For NEI Employees</h2>
<ul class="o-menu-footer">
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://intranet.nei.nih.gov">Intranet</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://intranet.nei.nih.gov/hr/Pages/emergency.aspx">Emergency Information</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://ned.nih.gov/search/search.aspx">NIH Staff Directory</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class="o-footer__row">
<div class="o-footer__full o-footer__full--parent">
<ul class="o-menu-footer o-menu-footer--swing">
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://www.nih.gov/">NIH.gov</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://hhs.gov/">HHS.gov</a></li>
<li class="o-menu-footer__item"><a class="o-menu-footer__link" href="https://usa.gov/">USA.gov</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</footer>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="c-lb-wrapper" id="lb-wrapper" aria-hidden="true">
<div class="c-lb-overlay" tabindex="-1"></div>
<div role="dialog" class="c-lb" id="lb">
<div class="c-lb-header">
<button class="c-lb-close-btn"><span class="c-lb-close-btn-text">Close</span><span class="c-lb-close-btn-text times" aria-hidden="true">&times;</span></button>
</div>
<figure class="c-lb-figure">
<figcaption class="c-lb-caption"></figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
</div>
<script src="/sites/default/files/js/js_agazM-qm5cOcplNZo9kNIWFtUrwt0V1xgAKtLyM44Us.js?scope=footer&amp;delta=0&amp;language=en&amp;theme=nei&amp;include=eJxdjEEOgCAMBD-E9kmkYrOpqdQAMerr5eBBvUx29jCp8HUKQOkZAe4wiY1B6Pj7yAsf33MNmZvuEq0nojnPmkFvCVmUYD6xDTUV3Vq9ATUbLxk"></script>
<script src="/themes/custom/nei/js/scripts.js?sraguf"></script>
</body>
</html>