New approach in the treatment of ophthalmic neovascular disorders: Using fusion protein aflibercept

Abstract

The aim of this review is to appraise the usage of a newly approved anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) fusion protein, aflibercept, in ocular neovascular disorders such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Aflibercept is a soluble fusion protein, which combines ligand-binding elements taken from the extracellular domains of VEGF receptors 1 and 2 fused to the Fc portion of IgG. This protein contains all human amino acid sequences, which minimizes the risk for immunogenicity in human patients. In this short review we investigate the available literature and data from clinical studies on the efficacy, pharmaceutical and pharmacological properties of aflibercept, and identify its possible advantages over commercially available anti-VEGF drugs.