Aflibercept
EyleaRCSB PDB 1FLT · 3D model
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A lab-made trap protein that soaks up VEGF and PlGF, two signals that tell blood vessels in the eye to grow abnormally and leak, before they can reach their targets.
How it works
Think of VEGF and PlGF as chemical messages telling blood vessels to sprout and leak fluid. Aflibercept is engineered to look like the natural docking stations for these messages, so it grabs them first and takes them out of circulation before they can cause trouble. It's injected straight into the eye, right where the problem is happening.
What it’s used for
Used to treat several eye conditions caused by abnormal or leaky blood vessels in the retina, including wet age-related macular degeneration, swelling after a blocked retinal vein, diabetes-related eye damage, and a vessel-growth disorder that can affect premature infants.
- Mechanism
- VEGF-A / PlGF trap (fusion protein)
- Drug class
- Fusion protein
- Therapeutic area
- Ophthalmology