New drug approved for macular degeneration treatment 

Exciting news for Australians living with macular degeneration. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has just approved the first-ever treatment for geographic atrophy, the leading cause of blindness from macular degeneration. This is a huge milestone in eye care.

Dr. Lisa Nivison-Smith, a researcher at UNSW, shared her thoughts on the approval, calling it historic.

“This is a game-changer for thousands of Australians who have felt hopeless when it comes to protecting their vision,” she said. “For so long, people with this condition have been told there’s little that can be done to stop the loss of their sight, and now, there’s hope.”

The new drug, called pegcetacoplan (SYFOVRE), works by targeting the immune system’s components that are believed to cause the death of the retina’s light-detecting cells. These cells are crucial for vision, and their destruction leads to geographic atrophy, which is associated with vision loss.

While this treatment has been shown to slow down the progression of the disease, it’s important to note that it doesn’t reverse any existing damage or stop the disease entirely. Additionally, the treatment requires repeated eye injections, which might be difficult for some patients.

Despite these limitations, Dr. Nivison-Smith remains hopeful and continues her work to find better ways to prevent and manage macular degeneration before it causes irreversible vision loss.