Aflibercept for the treatment of diabetic macular edema

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is an accumulation of fluid in the central retina, secondary to vascular-leakage from diabetic vascular damage. DME and other ophthalmic sequela of diabetes are the leading cause of blindness in 20 to 74-year-olds. The development of VEGF-inhibitors (anti-VEGF) has revolutionized DME treatment improving the clinician's ability to remove excess fluid from the macula, improving visual-acuity. Aflibercept is an anti-VEGF agent made of a recombinant fusion protein (consisting of VEGF receptors 1 and 2 extracellular domains) fused with the Fc-portion of human-IgG1, which binds both VEGF isoforms A and B, and placental growth factor. Phase III clinical trials and published scientific studies have demonstrated the efficacy of intravitreal aflibercept injection in the treatment of DME.