Interferon alfa for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive and degenerative disease of the retina, causing blood vessels to develop under the retina which eventually lead to visual impairment. Antiangiogenic therapy is a new approach to the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Interferon is one antiangiogenic agent thought to function by preventing the growth of vascular endothelial cells which help to form these new blood vessels. This review included one randomized controlled trial with 481 participants, all aged over 50 years from 45 different centers. The trial compared interferon alfa therapy to placebo with a follow up of 52 weeks. The proportion of participants who had lost at least three lines of vision at 52 weeks did not differ significantly between the control and treatment groups. The results of the trial were inconclusive and suggested that if anything, the intervention could be harmful. Since several new antiangiogenic interventions are now available, it is unlikely that further studies on interferon alfa can be justified.