{"id":52,"date":"2019-06-27T09:35:21","date_gmt":"2019-06-27T09:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.maintect.com\/?page_id=52"},"modified":"2019-08-01T10:39:28","modified_gmt":"2019-08-01T10:39:28","slug":"amd-predictive-biomarkers-for-diagnosis-and-therapy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/maintect.com\/?page_id=52","title":{"rendered":"Predictive biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AMD is a degenerative disease of the retina leading to a loss of visual function. It is one of the principal causes of visual impairment in the world and the leading cause of blindness in developed countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Progression of AMD can lead to two distinct clinical manifestations of late AMD. The dry or atrophic form of AMD is more frequent and is characterized by the accumulation of small drusen in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) leading to a loss of RPE and a degeneration of the retina in the macular region. It results in a mild loss of visual function. The wet neovascular form is less common but causes serious loss of vision. It is characterized by neovascular \u201cmembranes\u201d derived from the choroidal vasculature that invade Bruch\u00b4s membrane, leak, and often cause detachments of the RPE and\/ or the neural retina. The newly formed capillaries are abnormally permeable and their leakage leads to a scarring of the macula leading to blindness. Dry AMD may develop into wet AMD within several months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Current\ntherapy options <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wet AMD is an age-related disease associated with overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as well as the deposition of drusen in the sub-RPE and a breakdown of the RPE and the Bruck\u2019s membrane. VEGF is a key regulator of physiological and pathological angiogenesis and has been in the focus of research as therapeutic target in the last years. It leads to the growth of newly formed blood vessels from the choroid through the RPE into the retina. Leakage of blood or plasma into the surrounding tissue can be hampered by therapy using anti-VEGF antibodies. There have been significant advances in the management of exudative or so-called wet age-related macular degeneration with the introduction of anti-angiogenesis therapy via inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Inhibition of VEGF via repetitive intraocular injection of anti-VEGF antibodies over several years has become the gold standard in the treatment of wet AMD. Patients who suffer from wet AMD now have early treatment options that can prevent blindness and, in many cases, restore vision. However, these treatments are very expensive, and in our own studies we found that many patients do not respond to this kind of therapy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Predictive targets: Companion Diagnostic Test<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In several clinical studies, we were able to detect autoantibodies that are differentially regulated in AMD patients responding to anti-VEGF-treatment compared to non-responding patients who continue to lose their vision. These altered autoantibody profiles allow us to predict whether a patient will respond to treatment with anti-VEGF or not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on these results we are developing a saliva-based diagnostic lateral flow assay (LFA) for AMD based on these altered autoantibody profiles, as a „Companion Diagnostic“<\/strong> to guide subsequent treatment decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

„The new predictive Companion Diagnostic Test builds the basis for a new personalized treatment option for AMD“<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Key points:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n