In a new study from the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, researchers found that the drug pegcetacoplan may slow the onset of age-related macular degeneration in some people.
They reported the effectiveness of the drug pegcetacoplan on patients with a genetic predisposition to macular degeneration before symptoms begin.
Macular degeneration is the deterioration of the macula, a central part of the retina at the back of the eye, which results in loss of vision.
The condition is quite common in older people; more than 3 million people are diagnosed each year. Macular degeneration has a genetic component, some people are far more likely to experience it than others.
Prior research has also led to the development of drugs to slow the deterioration of the macula. One such drug is pegcetacoplan, which is more commonly known as Empaveli.
In the study, the team wanted to know if giving the drug to people who are likely to experience macular degeneration could slow its onset, thus preserving eyesight.
They tested 167 patients. The drug was administered monthly for some participants and every other month for others, and a third group received a placebo.
The researchers found that giving the drug to people predisposed to macular degeneration did, in some cases, delay the onset of the disease.
More specifically, they found that progression to atrophy was slowest in the group receiving the drug every month, and the next slowest was in those who received the drug every other month.
Those who received a placebo, quite naturally, progressed at the rate expected for untreated people.
The researchers suggest that pegcetacoplan is a strong drug candidate for slowing macular degeneration in some patients.
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The study is published in JAMA Ophthalmology and was conducted by Hendrik Scholl et al.
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