Macular Degeneration Clinical Trials Near You

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) trials are advancing on multiple fronts. For wet (neovascular) AMD, longer-acting anti-VEGF injections are reducing treatment burden. Faricimab targets both VEGF-A and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), enabling dosing intervals of up to 16 weeks. Port delivery systems aim to reduce injection frequency further, delivering continuous ranibizumab over 6-month refill intervals.

For geographic atrophy (advanced dry AMD), complement inhibitors represent the first disease-modifying treatments ever approved. Pegcetacoplan (Syfovre) and avacincaptad pegol (Izervay) slow retinal cell death expansion by 20–35%, though they don't restore vision already lost. Next-generation complement inhibitors are in Phase 2–3 trials aiming for greater efficacy.

Gene therapy for AMD has reached late-stage testing. Subretinal delivery of genes encoding anti-VEGF proteins (ABBV-RGX-314, 4D-150) could provide lifelong protection against wet AMD from a single one-time treatment — potentially eliminating repeated injections entirely.

Stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) transplantation is also emerging for advanced dry AMD. Early trials show laboratory-grown RPE cells can integrate into the damaged retina and support photoreceptor survival.

Patient considerations: AMD trials require specific disease staging via OCT and fundus photography. Wet AMD trials typically compare new treatments against standard anti-VEGF (you still receive active treatment). Expect monthly or bimonthly ophthalmology visits with detailed retinal imaging. Geographic atrophy trials may require 12–24 months to show measurable benefit due to the slowly progressive nature of dry AMD.