Eylea (aflibercept) has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for the treatment of visual impairment due to macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in adults;1 a condition that affects nearly 30,000 Australians aged 50 years or over.2,3
One year ago, in December 2012, Eylea was listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the treatment of wet AMD.
Eylea was approved for CRVO in adults in the US by the Federal Drugs Administration (FDA) in late 2012 and it received backing in July 2013 from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Professor Ian McAllister, Director of Clinical Services at the Lions Eye Institute based in Perth said Eylea is a welcome addition to the treatment suite for CRVO.
“The approval of Eylea for the treatment of CRVO gives treating ophthalmologists further options in their clinical management of this frequently blinding condition,” said Professor McAllister.
“Eylea has been proven in two well conducted Phase III trials to be effective in this condition in improving visual outcomes substantially over what could be expected to occur in the natural history of this disease. The addition of Eylea is very welcome news to ophthalmologists and their patients with this disease across the country,” he added.
The recommended dose for Eylea in its new indication is 2mg administered as an intravitreal injection every four weeks for the first three months, with clinicians then able to extend the injection interval based on a patient’s visual and anatomic outcomes.1,4
References
1. Eylea (aflibercept) Product Information. 7 November 2013
2. Mitchell P, Smith W, Chang A. Prevalence and associations of retinal vein occlusion in Australia. The Blue Mountains Eye Study. Arch Opthalmol. Oct 1996;114(10):1243-7
3. ABS. Australian demographic statistics Mar 2013. Available at: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/3101.0 Last accessed 29.10.13
4. Lucentis (ranibizumab) Product Information. 5 October 2012
