Background/aimsAflibercept is an approved therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular oedema (DME). In vitro and in vivo studies did not detect toxicity to the retinal pigment epithelium cells using the approved cancer protein, ziv-aflibercept. Our purpose is to determine if ziv-aflibercept can be used in AMD and DME without ocular toxicity, to test the stability of ziv-aflibercept, and to do a cost analysis.MethodsProspectively, consecutive patients with AMD or DME and poor vision underwent one intravitreal injection of 0.05 mL of fresh filtered ziv-aflibercept (1.25 mg). Monitoring of best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular inflammation, cataract progression, and retinal structure by spectral domain optical coherence tomography was done at 1 day and 1 week after injection. Ziv-aflibercept activity over 4 weeks was measured by capturing vascular endothelial growth factor by ELISA.ResultsThere were no signs of retinal toxicity, intraocular inflammation or change in lens status in four eyes with AMD and two eyes with DME. Visual acuity improved (p=0.05) and central foveal thickness decreased in all patients (p=0.05). Ziv-aflibercept had no loss of anti-VEGF activity when kept at 4°C in polycarbonate syringes over 4 weeks. Similar to bevacizumab, compounded ziv-aflibercept would yield a tremendous saving compared with aflibercept or ranibizumab.ConclusionsOff-label use of ziv-aflibercept improves visual acuity without ocular toxicity and may offer a cheaper alternative to the same molecule aflibercept.Trial registration numberNCT02173873.
IntroductionHigh-resolution ocular coherence computed tomography enables unprecedented visualization of the retinal microarchitecture. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of high-resolution ocular coherence tomography findings in the healed form of photic post-cataract retinopathy.Case presentationA 76-year-old Caucasian man complained of paracentral scotoma, persisting for six weeks after cataract surgery.ConclusionOcular coherence tomography demonstrated a localized juxta-foveal area of retinal atrophy involving the photoreceptor layer, and the retinal pigment epithelium layer.
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