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CEENTA is pleased to announce it now offers Beovu, a new injectable drug for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration, which CEENTA doctors helped research.
Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of blindness in adults over 50 in the United States. The prevalence of wet AMD increases exponentially with age. Within the next 40 years, the global population aged 60 and older is projected to increase dramatically, translating into an increase in the prevalence of wet AMD from 23 million in 2010 to 80 million by 2050.
Wet AMD is when abnormal blood vessels grow from the outer retinal circulation beneath the retinal pigment epithelium and sometimes the retina itself. Scars can form from these blood vessels, leaking fluid, blood and protein. With early diagnoses of these blood vessels, injections into the eye may be used to stop their growth. This prevents further vision loss and frequently results in vision improvement.
Beovu is injected into the eye to block VEGF, a protein responsible for producing new blood vessels. Too much VEGF can lead to the excess blood vessels that cause the fluid leak responsible for wet AMD.
In the phase 3 clinical trials, many patients regained some visual acuity. The average patient was able to read seven more letters on an eye chart after taking the drug, while nearly 30 percent of people could read 15 letters. Overall, 93 percent of patients maintained at least their current vision levels after using the drug.
It is believed patients will need fewer injections of Beovu than other medicines, but further testing is needed to confirm that.
CEENTA’s doctors are also studying to see if Beovu can be used to treat diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.
Patients should not use Beovu if they have infections around the eye, eye inflammation, or are allergic to the ingredients in the drug.
If you have wet AMD and would like to consider Beovu, ask your CEENTA retina specialist at your next appointment.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. Call 704-295-3000. You can also schedule an appointment online or through myCEENTAchart.
CEENTA retina specialist Omar Punjabi, MD, and Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Melanie appeared on WCNC's Charlotte Today on September 5, 2024, to discuss the stages of retina care at CEENTA.
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