title: Antiangiogenesis agents.
abstract: Although these preliminary results on the use of antiangiogenesis drugs for the treatment of neovascular AMD appear promising, double-masked, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trials are needed to demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of such treatments. For example, the first antiangiogenesis drug tested in AMD, interferon alpha-2a, raised great enthusiasm. Indeed, interferon alpha-2a had been shown to be antiangiogenic in animal and in vitro models. It proved to be ineffective, however, in halting the progression of neovascular AMD in a double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial [28]. Another antivasogenesis drug tested in a phase 3 clinical trial is thalidomide [67]. Although the enrollment of patients is finished, the results are not yet known.
authors.affiliation: LuEsther T. Mertz Retinal Research Laboratory, Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, 210 E. 64th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA. aciardella@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Antonio P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Ciardella
authors.forename: Irene M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Donsoff
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Guyer
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adamis
authors.forename: Lawrence A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Yannuzzi
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013792:Thalidomide