Methods and compositions for treating conditions of the eye
AssigneeMassachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
InventorsEvangelos S. Gragoudas, Vassiliki Poulaki, Joan W. Miller
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Abstract
Provided are methods and compositions for treating ocular conditions characterized by the presence of unwanted choroidal neovasculature, for example, neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The selectivity and sensitivity of, for example, a photodynamic therapy (PDT)-based approach can be enhanced by combining the PDT with an anti-FasL factor, for example, an anti-FasL neutralizing antibody.
Claims15
A method of treating unwanted choroidal neovasculature by reducing leakage therefrom in a mammal, the choroidal neovasculature comprising endothelial cells, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) administering to the mammal an anti-FasL factor in an amount sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in the choroidal neovasculature,
- wherein the anti-FasL factor is selected from the group consisting of an anti-FasL antibody, an anti-Fas antibody, decoy receptor 3, and a decoy receptor-3 analog, and reduces apoptotic photoreceptor cell death and decreases the activity of FasL in a mammal by direct action on FasL or its receptor;
- (b) administering to the mammal an amount of photosensitizer sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in the choroidal neovasculature;
- and
- (c) irradiating the choroidal neovasculature with laser light such that the light is absorbed by the photosensitizer so as to reduce leakage from the choroidal neovasculature, wherein the combination of steps (a), (b), and (c) is synergistically effective in reducing leakage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.