title: BEVACIZUMAB LEVELS IN BREAST MILK AFTER LONG-TERM INTRAVITREAL INJECTIONS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to determine whether bevacizumab is detectable in the breast milk of nursing mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Breast milk samples were collected from 2 patients receiving monthly intravitreal bevacizumab injections for choroidal neovascularization over the course of 16 months. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis was used to determine the levels of bevacizumab in the milk samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed using antibodies specific to bevacizumab in which the sensitivity threshold was 3 ng/mL. All breast milk samples assayed from the two patients actively undergoing treatment did not have detectable levels of bevacizumab. Samples collected 1.5 hours and 7 hours after an injection and 2 randomly chosen samples were negative by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A sensitive assay to detect bevacizumab in breast milk samples assayed suggests that intravitreal injections do not result in detectable bevacizumab in breast milk.
authors.affiliation: *Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon; †Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine; and ‡Retina Center of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Trevor J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Rhoads
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hartzell
authors.forename: Geoffrey G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Emerson
authors.forename: Abdhish R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bhavsar
authors.forename: J Timothy
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Stout
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001813:Blood-Retinal Barrier / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001942:Breast Feeding; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab