Lesion size plays key role in squalamine eye drops therapy
Squalamine lactate-when combined with ranibizumab for treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration-achieved improved visual function when compared with the results achieved with ranibizumab treatment alone.
Take-Home Message: Squalamine lactate-when combined with ranibizumab for treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration-achieved improved visual function when compared with the results achieved with ranibizumab treatment alone.
Reviewed by David S. Boyer, MD
Los Angeles-A topical drug-when combined with ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech)-achieved improved visual function when compared with the results achieved with ranibizumab treatment alone, said David S. Boyer, MD.
Dr. Boyer highlighted the final results from the phase II Impact Study of squalamine lactate ophthalmic solution 0.2% (OHR-102, Ohr Pharmaceuticals) for treating neovascular AMD.
The size of the occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) at baseline was what drove the vision benefits, according to Dr. Boyer, clinical professor of ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Squalamine is different from the drugs that ophthalmologists are used to in that most of the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs and the plate-derived growth factor drugs [PDGF] all have an extracellular mechanism of action, he noted.
“However, OHR-102 has multiple receptors that it can affect and has an intracellular mechanism of action,” Dr. Boyer said. “It not only affects VEGF but also PDGF and fibroblastic growth factor.”
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