Preliminary uncertain benefits of new eye medications
The use of new medications for injection treatment of eye diseases has increased over the past two years. The aim has been to reduce how often patients need to receive treatment, but the effect is currently uncertain.
Photo: Colourbox
Over the past two years, there have been significant changes in the use of medications for injection treatments of eye diseases.
This is revealed in analyses in the updated health atlas for injection treatments, which now have figures for 2024:
Will lead to longer intervals between injections
A new medication, faricimab (Vabysmo), has gradually taken over the market since May 2023 and is now the most commonly used medication in Norway. At the same time, the previously most used medication, aflibercept (Eylea), was approved in a new version with a higher dosage at the beginning of 2024.
It is believed that these new medications work for a longer duration and thus may increase the injection interval, which would be beneficial for both the patient and the healthcare system, which must manage an increasing number of patients.
Photo: SKDE
Only a slight increase in treatment intervals
According to Øystein Kalsnes Jørstad, section leader and professor at the Eye Department of Oslo University Hospital, it is Norwegian practice to use bevacizumab (Avastin) for "simple" eyes, but aflibercept or faricimab for eyes that are "more difficult" to treat and often require more frequent injections. Despite an increasing proportion of patients being treated with the new medications, there has only been a slight increase in the average length of intervals (the figure below shows only data from patients who have been in treatment for over six months).
— It remains to be seen to what extent the new medications will live up to expectations from clinical studies, where they have partly been used at significantly longer intervals than 50 days. An important difference from Norwegian practice is that "simple" eyes, which require less frequent injections, are also included in these studies, says analyst at SKDE, Mattias Ugelvik.
Photo: SKDE