Hariprasad Seenu M, Holz Frank G, Asche Carl V, Issa Amine, Mora Oriol, Keady Simon, Rezk Mourad F, Sarocco Phil, Simoens Steven
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC2114: Room S-438, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Ophthalmol Ther. 2025 Apr;14(4):621-641. doi: 10.1007/s40123-025-01104-3. Epub 2025 Feb 26.
Retinal diseases, such as neovascular age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusion, pose a significant global burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy has become the standard treatment for retinal diseases, improving clinical outcomes, while delaying disease progression. Although effective, biologics are associated with high costs, which can lead to underutilisation and, consequently, suboptimal patient treatment outcomes, further contributing to healthcare costs. Additionally, the expansion in the elderly population is predicted to significantly increase costs and burden on healthcare systems due to retinal diseases, requiring effective strategies and the utilisation of emerging technologies that are crucial public health priorities for tackling global vision impairment. Recently, anti-VEGF biosimilars have been approved and are expected to provide a cost-effective alternative, while providing equivalent efficacy and comparable safety, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetic profiles as the reference product. The entry of biosimilars holds the promise of meeting some of these unmet needs, giving physicians and patients access to sustainable treatments that can provide cost-effective therapy, enabling savings to be reinvested into healthcare facilities. This article aims to review the impact of retinal diseases on clinical, social, and financial aspects of patient care, emphasising the potential value of biosimilars in ophthalmology.
视网膜疾病，如新生血管性年龄相关性黄斑变性、糖尿病视网膜病变和视网膜静脉阻塞，给个人、家庭和医疗保健系统带来了巨大的全球负担。玻璃体内抗血管内皮生长因子（抗VEGF）治疗已成为视网膜疾病的标准治疗方法，可改善临床结果，同时延缓疾病进展。尽管生物制剂有效，但它们成本高昂，可能导致使用不足，进而导致患者治疗效果不理想，进一步增加医疗成本。此外，预计老年人口的增加将因视网膜疾病而显著增加医疗保健系统的成本和负担，这就需要有效的策略并利用新兴技术，这是应对全球视力损害的关键公共卫生优先事项。最近，抗VEGF生物类似药已获批准，预计将提供一种具有成本效益的替代方案，同时提供与参比产品等效的疗效以及可比的安全性、免疫原性和药代动力学特征。生物类似药的进入有望满足其中一些未满足的需求，使医生和患者能够获得可持续的治疗方法，从而提供具有成本效益的治疗，使节省下来的资金能够重新投入到医疗设施中。本文旨在综述视网膜疾病对患者护理的临床、社会和财务方面的影响，强调生物类似药在眼科中的潜在价值。
