Angiogenesis Meeting to Highlight Latest in Technology, Translational Research, Clinical Trials

During the Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2023 meeting, held virtually during February 10-11, a group of experts will highlight treatments for eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and inherited retinal diseases.

The meeting is held by the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which serves as the Department of Ophthalmology for the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. This is the 20th annual angiogenesis meeting from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

The meeting is broken into 11 sessions, each with multiple presentations, over the course of 2 days. Session topics include “Predicting Disease Progression in Non-Exudative AMD,” “Emerging and Current Therapies for Exudative AMD,” “Retinal Vascular Diseases and Uveitis,” and “Inherited Retinal Degenerations.”

Speakers will present updates on phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials, highlight prescribing trends, and review technologies, such as advances in machine learning and the limitations of imaging technologies. In addition to the latest on anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapies, the meeting will highlight emerging therapies, such as gene therapies, suprachoroidal injections, RNA-based therapies, and more.

Among the presentations is data on 2 therapies with rapidly approaching Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) dates. First is aflibercept for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants, which the FDA is expected to decide on by February 11, the second day of the Angiogenesis meeting.

ROP is a leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide, with 1100 to 1500 infants in the United States developing the disease severe enough to need medical treatment. The disease most often impacts infants born before 31 weeks of pregnancy or who weigh less than 3.3 pounds at birth.

The supplemental Biologics License Application for aflibercept is supported by data from FIREFLEYE and BUTTERFLEYE, which are phase 3 randomized global trials. Results from BUTTERFLEYE are being presented on the second day of the meeting by Darius M. Moshfeghi, MD, chief, Retina Division and professor, Horngren Family Vitreoretinal Center, Byers Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine.

Aflibercept is already approved in the United States to treat patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, macular edema following retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy.

The second drug with an upcoming approval date is pegcetacoplan for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration. The PDUFA date is February 26. This would be the first approved treatment option for GA.

At the meeting, there will be an entire section devoted to reviewing the pegcetacoplan results from the DERBY and OAKS trials. Speakers will present the 2-year results from the trials with Eleonora Lad, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology at Duke University, reviewing baseline characteristics and efficacy; Rishi Singh, MD, president of Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, reviewing safety and exudative changes; and Jeffrey S. Heier, MD, director of the Vitreoretinal Service and director of Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, providing a deeper dive into the 2-year results.

In addition, Nadia K. Waheed, MD, MPH, associate professor in ophthalmology at the Tufts University School of Medicine and director of the Boston Image Reading Center, will provide the experience from the OAKS trial for analyzing microperimetry in GA.

The meeting will end with a presentation from Byron L. Lam, MD, professor of ophthalmology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, delving into treatments and clinical trials for inherited retinal diseases.