Next-Generation Anti-VEGF Therapies in Retinal Vascular Diseases

In this episode, “Next-Generation Anti-VEGF Therapies in Retinal Vascular Diseases,” the panelists explore the evolution of anti-VEGF therapy and the emergence of newer treatment strategies for retinal vascular diseases, including wet AMD, diabetic macular edema (DME), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO). The expert faculty review how treatment has progressed from thermal laser therapy and early anti-VEGF agents to today’s second-generation therapies designed to improve durability, reduce treatment burden, and preserve long-term vision outcomes.

Throughout the discussion, the panel examines the mechanistic differences between current therapies, including aflibercept 8 mg and faricimab, and discusses the transition from VEGF monotherapy toward multi-targeted therapeutic approaches. The expert faculty highlight how dual-pathway inhibition and emerging multi-targeted biologics may represent the next phase of retinal vascular disease management, particularly as newer therapies seek to improve durability and address additional mechanisms involved in angiogenesis and fibrosis.

The panel also discusses how treatment selection is evolving in clinical practice, with many retina specialists favoring earlier use of more potent and durable therapies rather than reserving second-generation agents for patients with inadequate responses to older treatments. In addition, the expert faculty explore practical considerations that influence treatment decisions, including durability, drying ability, patient burden, and insurance-related access challenges. The discussion underscores how the rapidly expanding therapeutic landscape is reshaping expectations for long-term disease control and individualized patient management across retinal vascular diseases.

The next episode in this series, “Durability with Aflibercept 8 mg in Retinal Vascular Diseases,” features the panelists discussing how extended dosing intervals and improved retinal drying with aflibercept 8 mg may help reduce treatment burden across retinal vascular diseases. The expert faculty also highlight how clinical trial findings from PULSAR, PHOTON, and QUASAR are informing real-world treatment strategies and long-term disease management.