Aflibercept: A Decoy Receptor for VEGF

Aflibercept is a recombinant fusion protein used to treat various serious eye conditions and metastatic colorectal cancer. It acts as a decoy receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), inhibiting angiogenesis.

Mechanism of Action: Aflibercept binds to VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and placental growth factor (PIGF), preventing them from interacting with their receptors on endothelial cells. This inhibits the formation of new blood vessels and reduces vascular permeability.

Clinical Applications:

• Eye Conditions: Aflibercept is used to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration, macular edema following retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, and retinopathy of prematurity.

• Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: In combination with chemotherapy, Aflibercept is used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer resistant to or progressed following an oxaliplatin-containing regimen6.

Clinical Trials and Efficacy: Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Aflibercept in improving visual acuity and reducing disease progression in eye conditions. In cancer treatment, it has shown significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival when combined with chemotherapy.

Potential Benefits:

• Effective Angiogenesis Inhibition: Prevents the formation of new blood vessels, reducing disease progression.

• Versatile Applications: Effective in both ophthalmic and oncologic indications.

• Improved Outcomes: Significant improvements in visual acuity and survival rates.

Challenges and Considerations:

• Side Effects: Common side effects include conjunctival hemorrhage, ocular pain, cataracts, vitreous detachment, and vitreous floater.

• Cost: The high cost of Aflibercept may limit accessibility for some patients.

Aflibercept offers a powerful option for treating serious eye conditions and metastatic colorectal cancer. Its ability to inhibit angiogenesis and improve clinical outcomes makes it a valuable tool in both ophthalmology and oncology.