Ophthotech announces funding for Phase II trials for their E10030 product to treat wet macular degeneration.  E10030 is an anti-platelet growth factor (anti-PDGF) aptamer for treating wet macular degeneration.  The company will be testing the effectiveness of combining E10030 with Lucentis (ranibizumab).  Lucentis is an anti-VEGF drug used to treat wet macular degeneration.  In its Phase I trials, a significant improvement of vision was seen at 12 weeks after treatment with the two agents.

Like antibodies, aptamers are molecules designed to prevent binding of the VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) to its respective receptor.  This interruption of chemical pathways blocks the effects of VEGF; inflammation, vascular impermeability and neovascularization.

What Does This Mean?  First, many drugs “make it” to Phase II trials and are never mentioned again.  This is, however, the first combined approach where two proteins, VEGF and PDGF are targeted implying a very complex pathway leading to angiogenesis.  We have heard of PDGF before and its purported success in closing macular holes.

Read ^[1] the full press release.

Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Fairfax Virginia
Retina Specialist ^[2]