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    Ophthalmol Clin North Am. 2006 Sep;19(3):353-60.

    Pegaptanib (Macugen): treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration and current role in clinical practice.

    Vavvas D, D'Amico DJ.

    Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

    Repeated Macugen intravitreal injections, well tolerated and safe when performed according to protocol, is the first successful pharmacotherapy for wet AMD. Macugen has already had a significant impact on neovascular AMD management, in regard to both individual patients with AMD lesions that would become amenable to treatment, and in its effects on visual function and its preservation in the aging United States population. Although results and delivery method are not optimal, the positive outcomes indicate the beginning, and not the limit, of pharmacotherapy for AMD. The benefits of Macugen therapy for AMD strongly outweigh the risks. It is pointed out by some that the overall magnitude of the efficacy results is very similar to the PDT trials and question why there is so much enthusiasm about a treatment that entails intravitreal injections every 6 weeks instead of PDT every 12 weeks. In all fairness, PDT is not equally efficacious across the lesion subtypes and sizes, whereas Macugen has effect with all lesion subtypes. In addition, these studies widen the armamentarium and open up the possibility of combination therapy in attacking neovascularization through multiple ways.

    PMID: 16935210 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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    Patient drug information

    • Pegaptanib Injection (Macugen®)

      Pegaptanib injection is used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD; an ongoing disease of the eye that causes loss of the ability to see straight ahead and may make it more difficult to read, drive, or perfo...