Author: Tolentino, Michael J.

Source: Current Molecular Medicine, Volume 9, Number 8, November 2009 , pp. 973-981(9)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

The leading cause of blindness in the developed world results from several disorders that have pathologic ocular neovascularization as the common pathway leading to vision loss. These disorders include exudative age related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), retinal vein occlusions (RVO) and ocular tumors. Because neovascularization is the common pathway to blindness in these highly prevalent conditions, the recent understanding of the cascade of angiogenesis has led to clinically available molecular therapeutics that have been proven to restore and preserve vision in patients that suffer from these blinding conditions. This article will summarize the emergence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a validated treatment target for and current understanding of the pathophysiology of ocular neovascularization. The article will then cover promising future strategies and therapeutic targets that are aimed at enhancing the efficacy and/or duration of effect of these clinically available anti-VEGF strategies. In particular molecules that target, VEGF, PDGF, Complement, Inflammation and Integrins that are entering or are currently in clinical trials will be reviewed.

Keywords: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF); Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD); Complement; Diabetic Retinopathy (DR); Complement; Ranibizumab; Pegaptanib; Bevacizumab; Bevasiranib; Integrins

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156652409789712783

Publication date: 2009-11-01

More about this publication?

• Current Molecular Medicine is an interdisciplinary journal focused on providing the readership with current and comprehensive reviews on fundamental molecular mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, the development of molecular-diagnosis and/or novel approaches to rational treatment. The reviews should be of significant interest to basic researchers and clinical investigators in molecular medicine. Periodically the journal will invite guest editors to devote an issue on a basic research area that shows promise to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanism(s) of a disease or has potential for clinical applications.

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