title: Advances in pharmacotherapy for wet age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In developed countries, neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible central blindness. Although AMD pathogenesis is complex and still not fully understood, many involved mechanisms are already partially known and could be promising targets for future therapies. Currently, anti-VEGF drugs are the standard care of this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review summarizes both the current available and the emerging pharmacological therapies for the management of neovascular AMD. At first, we briefly focused on anti-VEGF compounds that are commonly used. Then, we reviewed the mechanisms of action and potential advantages of new candidate drugs that are being evaluated in clinical trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although anti-VEGF drugs have shown mild-term good efficacy and safety profile in the treatment of neovascular AMD, they are far away from being a perfect therapy. Pharmacological research should focus on finding new molecular targets in the AMD pathogenetical pathway and on developing longer lasting agents or new drug delivery systems. Besides the development of new drugs, a better characterization of patients is also needed, taking into account variables such as choroidal neovascularization subtypes and genetic factors, in order to identify a tailored treatment for each patient.
authors.affiliation: University of Udine, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences - Ophthalmology , Piazza Santa Maria della Misericordia, 33100 Udine , Italy +390 432 559 907 ; +390 432 559 904 ; paolo.lanzetta@uniud.it.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santarelli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diplotti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Samassa
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Veritti
authors.forename: Baruch D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Kuppermann
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lanzetta
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C533178:aflibercept; C495058:pegaptanib; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D000069579:Ranibizumab
keywords: age related macular degeneration; angiogenesis inhibitors; choroidal neovascularization; drug therapy