Treatment Results with MACUGEN® (pegaptanib sodium injection)
MACUGEN is proven to help preserve vision in patients with all types of wet AMD by slowing vision loss.
Wet AMD is a disease that should be treated early and with a sense of urgency. It is a chronic disease, which means it is important to get regular treatment over time. There are now several treatment options approved for treating wet AMD. Your doctor may use different treatments at different times to try and manage your wet AMD. Starting your wet AMD treatment early and keeping up with your treatments are essential to help preserve as much of your vision as possible over the long term.
MACUGEN is injected into the eye every 6 weeks. Your doctor will determine how long you'll need treatment. Be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations and attend all follow-up appointments.
Clinical study overview with MACUGEN
Effects on Vision
In a large clinical study one group of
294 patients with wet AMD received MACUGEN 0.3 mg every 6 weeks for 48 weeks, while the other group of 296 patients did not. All patients in the study were also eligible to receive photodynamic therapy according to its FDA label. The people who received MACUGEN for up to 2 years lost less vision on average than people who did not receive MACUGEN. MACUGEN was less effective in the second year than the first year. However, results varied by individual.
Additional data from this study suggests that by receiving treatment with MACUGEN early in the course of their disease, patients may have better visual outcomes when compared with usual care.
Side Effects
With MACUGEN, you may feel some side effects, mostly in the eye and due to the injection procedure. The most common side effects are burning sensation, eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, vision loss, blurred vision, visual disturbances, high blood pressure, and cataract. For a complete list of side effects, please ask your doctor or see the prescribing information.
You should not receive MACUGEN treatments if you have an infection in or around your eye or if you are hypersensitive (allergic) to pegaptanib sodium or any of the other ingredients in MACUGEN.
In clinical trials, only 1% of patients receiving MACUGEN stopped therapy because of side effects during the first year. With MACUGEN, there is no evidence of increased risk of cardiovascular problems, even though many people in the clinical trials had cardiovascular disease and were taking a wide range of medications to treat it. It is important to tell your eye doctor about any other medical conditions you may have, or medications you may be taking. 
You should contact your eye doctorimmediately if you have unusual symptoms after your injection. A serious eye infection can sometimesdevelop following an injection into the eye. Symptoms to watch out for include:
- Eye pain or increased discomfort
- Worsening eye redness
- Worsening blurred or decreased vision
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Increased numbers of dark spots or lines floating across your vision (called floaters)
If you cannot reach your eye doctor, it is important not to wait. Call an alternative eye doctor as soon as possible so you can be treated early if an infection occurs. 
Eye injections like those with MACUGEN can increase eye pressure. This is something you would not notice; however, your eye doctor may do some additional tests after your injection to ensure there are no complications.
Learn more about WORKING WITH YOUR DOCTOR
The safety and efficacy of MACUGEN beyond 2 years has not been demonstrated.
Make a commitment to therapy with MACUGEN.
To listen to the full prescribing information regarding MACUGEN, please click on the link entitled "Important Safety Information" on the menu bar located on the left of the screen.
