Treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration with ranibizumab

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among the elderly in Western nations, particularly in persons of European descent. A new approach to treating ARMD-associated neovascularization that is currently being tested in clinical trials targets the underlying angiogenic process. Several lines of evidence indicate that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major regulator of both physiologic and pathologic angio-genesis, plays an important role in stimulating ARMD-associated neovascularization. More convincing than the correlative evidence is the demonstrated ability of VEGF to induce ocular neovascularization and of anti-VEGF agents to inhibit it, in both primate and murine models. The wealth of information currently available on the role of VEGF in neovascularization, including hypoxia-induced neovascularization in the eye, provides a sound scientific rationale for the investigation of anti-VEGF agents as treatment of neovascular ARMD.