RETRACTED ARTICLE: Pharmacological agents in development for diabetic macular edema

Abstract

Background: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the leading cause of visual loss in patients with diabetic retinopathy. There has been a paradigm shift in the treatment of DME since the advent of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy. The safety and efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy has been well established. Although efficacious, currently approved anti-VEGF agents are associated with certain limitations, which include, among others: frequent need for injections, high treatment cost and variable response to treatment. These challenges have led to an active search for more novel agents that may be able to overcome these limitations. Areas covered: The index review focuses on novel treatment agents that target various pathways in patients with DME. These agents are used either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents in the management of DME. Drugs discussed include novel anti-VEGF inhibitors, TIE-2 receptor modulators, integrin peptide inhibitors, rho kinase inhibitors, and future therapies such as neuroprotection and gene therapy. Conclusions: The future of investigational pharmacological therapy appears promising for patients with DME. Results from early clinical trials indicate that newer agents highlighted in the study may be safe and efficacious treatment options for patients with DME. However, data from large multicenter clinical trials need to be analyzed before these agents can be incorporated into clinical practice.

Biological drug therapy for ocular angiogenesis: Anti‐VEGF agents and novel strategies based on nanotechnology

“…34,93 While approved anti-VEGF agents are currently efficacious, they present certain limitations such as frequently needed injections, high treatment cost, and uneven response to treatment. 76 and costs should be considered. However, different studies seem to indicate similar long-term effects.…”

“…KSI‐301 (Kodiak Sciences) is a novel anti‐VEGF antibody biopolymer conjugate (950 kDa) developed for the treatment of retinal vascular diseases; it has a large molecular structure to prolong the estimated intraocular anti‐VEGF effect. In contrast, brolucizumab (RTH258) is a single‐chain antibody fragment (scFv) with a small molecular weight (26 kDa) in the line of anti‐VEGF antibodies, which is capable of inhibiting all isoforms of VEGF‐A 76 . Ziv‐aflibercept (25 mg/mL, 1000 mOsm/kg) is an identical molecule to aflibercept, but formulated at a lower concentration and higher osmolarity than the human vitreous, resulting in hyperosmolarity.…”

“…While approved anti‐VEGF agents are currently efficacious, they present certain limitations such as frequently needed injections, high treatment cost, and uneven response to treatment 76 . These challenges have led to an active search for more novel agents that may be able to overcome these limitations.…”

Retraction Note to: Pharmacological agents in development for diabetic macular edema

“…The authors have retracted this article [ 1 ] for legal reasons. Therefore the contents of this article are no longer available.…”

The eye as a miRror

“…Another alternative for the management of DME, notably for DME patient refractory to anti-VEGF, is the use of corticosteroids [149]. Several candidates are currently being tested or in development for DME management such as angiopoietin pathway stimulators and Rhoassociated protein kinase inhibitors [151].…”