The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced approval of Novartis' Beovu® (brolucizumab), a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor that may reduce the frequency of intravitreal injections for patients suffering from wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Wolfe Eye Clinic was an active site in the Novartis phase three clinical trial program leading up to the FDA approval of Beovu. This highly anticipated approval is the first major breakthrough in wet AMD treatment since the approval of Eylea (Aflibercept) in 2011.
"We are excited to have Beovu as a new option for patients who suffer from Wet AMD to help preserve vision reducing the burden of treatment," said Jared Nielsen, MD, MBA, HAWK Trial Principal Investigator, Retina Specialist and Director of Retina Clinical Trials at Wolfe Eye Clinic, "this extends to friends and family who assist them in their care."
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wet AMD is a leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness worldwide in adults over 65. It is estimated that over 1.5 million people in the United States will have wet AMD by 2020 according to Novartis's recent release. Wet AMD is a disease associated with age that attacks the part of the eye called the macula responsible for our central vision and the ability to see fine details. Living with the disease can make everyday tasks difficult, if not impossible, such as reading, driving and identifying faces. Individuals affected often rely on others for daily assistance. If left untreated, vision may rapidly deteriorate.
Until now, treatment for wet AMD consisted of drug injections (e.g., Eylea) into the eye as frequent as every month. Many patients require frequent eye injections in order to prevent permanent vision loss. Clinical trials indicate that in comparison to Eylea, another intravitreal injection drug option, Beovu may allow patients to go as long as three months between injections.