Aflibercept, sold under the brand names Eylea and Zaltrap among others, is a medication used to treat wet macular degeneration and metastatic colorectal cancer.
[14] Aflibercept (Zaltrap), in combination with fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (known as FOLFIRI), is indicated for the treatment of people with metastatic colorectal cancer that is resistant to, or has progressed following, an oxaliplatin-containing regimen.
[14] Aflibercept (Zaltrap) has adverse effects typical of anti-cancer drugs, such as reduced blood cell count (leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia), gastrointestinal disorders like diarrhea and abdominal pain, and fatigue.
[31][32] In August 2012, the US FDA approved aflibercept (Zaltrap) for use in combination with 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and irinotecan to treat adults with metastatic colorectal cancer that is resistant to, or has progressed following, an oxaliplatin‑containing regimen.
[3] In September 2024, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Opuviz, intended for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration, visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO), visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME) and visual impairment due to myopic choroidal neovascularization (myopic CNV).
[44] In September 2024, the CHMP adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Afqlir, intended for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration, visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO), visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME) and visual impairment due to myopic choroidal neovascularization (myopic CNV).
[46][47] In November 2024, the CHMP adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Ahzantive, intended for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration, visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO), visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME) and visual impairment due to myopic choroidal neovascularisation (myopic CNV).
[7][8] In November 2024, the CHMP adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Baiama, intended for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration, visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO), visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME) and visual impairment due to myopic choroidal neovascularisation (myopic CNV).
[9][49] In December 2024, the CHMP adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Eydenzelt, intended for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO), visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME) and visual impairment due to myopic choroidal neovascularisation (myopic CNV).
[21] In January 2025, the CHMP adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Pavblu, intended for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO), visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME) and visual impairment due to myopic choroidal neovascularisation (myopic CNV).
[50] In January 2025, the CHMP adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Skojoy, intended for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO), and visual impairment due to myopic choroidal neovascularisation (myopic CNV).
[26][54] In April 2011, aflibercept improved its primary endpoint of overall survival in the Velour phase III clinical trial for second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.
[26] A 2016 Cochrane Review examined outcomes comparing aflibercept versus ranibizumab injections in over 2400 people with neovascular AMD, from two randomized controlled trials.
[55] A 2017 review update studying the effects of anti-VEGF drugs on diabetic macular edema found that while all three studied treatments have advantages over laser therapy, there was moderate evidence that aflibercept is significantly favored in all measured efficacy outcomes over ranibizumab and bevacizumab, after one year, longer term advantages were unclear.