Intraocular Cytokines in Non-responders to Ranibizumab Treatment for Neovascular AMD

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of cytokines (which are small proteins important in cell signalling) in eye fluid (aqueous humour) in patients with wet age related macular degeneration patients who have been treated with an injection in the eye (intravitreal injection) with a drug called ranibizumab. The level of cytokines will be compared between patients who have a good response to ranibizumab treatment and patients who are non-responsive to ranibizumab and need other forms of therapy. This knowledge will help for the future treatment and to potentially develop new medication for wet age-related macular degeneration.

Detailed Description
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In the treatment of CNV (Choroidal NeoVascularization) secondary from AMD (Age Related Macular Degeneration) by using ranibizumab, patients who are non-responders can be found in approximately 1-10% of treatments. Thus, failure of treatment can lead to loss of vision. Growth factors and cytokines, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and placenta growth factor (PLGF) are known to play an important role in the development of CNV angiogenesis. The rationale for conducting this study to compare VEGF, PEDF, IL-6 and PLGF cytokine levels in the aqueous humor of wet AMD and Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy (PCV) patients who are poor responders to anti VEGF treatment and age-matched good responders to anti VEGF. Ranibizumab poor responders in AMD and PCV, who are treated with a combination of PDT/ranibizumab or intravitreous injection of aflibercept (Eyelea®, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. Tarrytown, NY, USA and Bayer, Basel, Switzerland) will be enrolled to the study. An aqueous humor sample will be obtained when patient receives intravitreal injection treatment and also at 1, 2 months follow up period. VEGF, PEDF,IL-6 and PLGF in aqueous will be analyzed and used to compare between the poor response group and age matched patient with good response to ranibizumab. Age, gender, visual acuity, central macular thickness by OCT, lesion size and fundus autofluorescence data will be collected and used to compare between these groups. Subgroup analysis of different treatment comparison with ranibizumab good responder group will be evaluated. Factors associated with the non-responders of ranibizumab will be analyzed. Non-responders to ranibizumab treatment in AMD may have different levels and responses of inflammatory cytokines compared to the responder group. Understanding the pathogenesis and characteristic of this specific group of patients can help narrow down a specific choice of treatment and prevent the reduction of visual acuity of the patient. This study also helps identify factors associated to poor responders from ranibizumab treatment for wAMD.

Official Title
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Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration: Intraocular Inflammatory Cytokines in the Non-responder to Ranibizumab Treatment

Conditions
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Age Related Macular Degeneration

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: Aflibercept
* Drug: Ranibizumab
* Procedure: Combination Photodynamic Therapy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Age 50 years or more Ranibizumab resistance/poor responder patients in all AMD entities (typical AMD, PCV and RAP) who will be treated with intravitreous ranibizumab in combination with verteporfin photodynamic therapy Ranibizumab resistance/poor responder patients in all AMD entity (typical AMD, PCV and RAP) who will be treated with intravitreous aflibercept injection AMD patient who is good response to the treatment of ranibizumab (control group) Exclusion Criteria: Any evidence of good response in treatment of ranibizumab, Uncooperative patients to intravitreal treatment Patients who have clinically active ocular inflammation Patients who have previous PDT treatment within 6 months Patient who previously have ocular treatment of immunosuppressive agent within 3 months Patient who previously have ocular treatment of steroid with in 3 months Patients who are currently on systemic treatment of anti-VEGF medication or immunosuppressive agents.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Non-responders receiving aflibercept therapy<br>Non-responders to ranibizumab who are now receiving aflibercept therapy | Drug: Aflibercept<br>* anti-VEGF treatment for wet age related macular degeneration<br>* Other names: Eylea (R);|
| Non-responders receiving PDT combo therapy<br>patients who are non-responders to ranibizumab who have been switched to combination photodynamic therapy (PDT) | Procedure: Combination Photodynamic Therapy<br>* Use of cold laser with an intravitreal injection of dexamethasone to treat wet age related macular degeneration<br>|
| Responders to ranibizumab<br>Patients who are responders to ranibizumab and are continuing monthly injections. | Drug: Ranibizumab<br>* anti-VEGF treatment for wet age related macular degeneration<br>* Other names: Lucentis;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aqueous Humour Cytokine Levels |  | At time of Intravitreal Injection | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Demographic Data |  | At time of appointment | 
| Number of anti-VEGF injections before developing non-responder characteristics |  | At time of appointment | 
| History of Previous Treatment |  | At time of appointment | 
| Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) results |  | At time of appointment | 
| Fluorescein Angiography Results and Indocyanine Green Angiography Results |  | At time of appointment | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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wet Age Related Macular Degeneration, Ranibizumab, Aflibercept, Combination Photodynamic Therapy, Cytokine analysis