Clinical application of aflibercept for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration(AMD) is a major cause of blindness in elderly populations.Wet AMD,which is characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV),is the leading cause of vision loss.Anti-VEGF therapy is the current first-line treatment for wet AMD.Aflibercept (Eylea) is the latest member in the anti-VEGF drugs for ophthalmic application.The dose interval of Aflibercept can be extended but yield stable therapeutic effect due to its wider binding range (VEGF-A,VEGF-B,placental growth factor),better affinity,as well as longer half-life.At present,quite a few clinical trials about Aflibercept application have completed or are undergoing.As further confirmation of its efficacy and safety goes on,Aflibercept,alone or in combination with other anti-VEGF agents,could become a new therapeutic option for wet AMD. Key words: age-related macular degeneration;  choroidal neovascularization;  aflibercept;  vascular endothelial growth factor