An update on conbercept to treat wet age-related macular degeneration

Wet age-related macular degeneration (w-AMD) represents the main cause of vision loss in the elderly in the western countries. The important role displayed by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of this disease has been largely demonstrated. For this reason, anti-VEGF drugs have been developed and currently are considered as the first-line treatment options in the management of w-AMD. Among the novel anti-VEGF agents studied, conbercept is a fusion protein composed of the combination between VEGF receptor domains with the Fc fragment of human immunoglobulin. It was already approved in China in 2014 for treating w-AMD. In this regard, the phase III PHOENIX trial has reported a good clinical efficacy and safety profile of conbercept for w-AMD, also by adopting a quarterly regimen. In this review, we will discuss its pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical efficacy, without neglecting also its safety and tolerability profile.