Expert opinion on biological therapy
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · Apr 2019
ReviewComplement inhibition as a therapeutic strategy in retinal disorders.
Dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt Macular Dystrophy (STGD1) result in vision loss due to progressive atrophy of the macula and lack of effective treatments. Numerous studies have implicated complement-associated inflammation as a contributor to both diseases. ⋯ While complement inhibition has not yet demonstrated the ability to halt GA progression in a phase 3 trial, further study is warranted.
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · Apr 2019
ReviewA comprehensive review of hormonal and biological therapies for endometriosis: latest developments.
Endometriosis is a chronic benign estrogen-dependent disease characterized by the presence of endometriotic glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Although combined hormonal contraceptives and progestins, currently available first-line treatments for endometriosis, are efficacious and well tolerated for treating disease-related pain, some women experience partial or no improvement of pain or its recurrence is frequent after discontinuation of the therapies. For these reasons, new drugs are under investigation for the treatment of endometriosis. ⋯ Among the new drugs investigated, late clinical trials on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have demonstrated the most promising results. For this reason, elagolix, a new GnRH-antagonist, recently received the approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating pain associated to endometriosis. Other drugs with innovative targets have been identified, but the majority of these compounds have only been evaluated in pre-clinical studies or early clinical trials. Thus, a further extensive clinical research is necessary to better elucidate their pharmacologic characteristics, their efficacy, and safety for the treatment of this benign chronic disease.