Aflibercept 8 mg/0.07 mL (Eylea HD)

Abstract

CADTH recommends that Eylea HD should be reimbursed by public drug plans for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) if certain conditions are met. Eylea HD should only be reimbursed for adults who have not previously been treated with an anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drug for their nAMD, have a baseline best-corrected visual acuity score between 78 to 24 letters based on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) scoring system, more than 50% of the newly formed abnormal blood vessels originate from the choroid layer of the eye, and imaging shows there is fluid buildup affecting the centre of the eye. Eylea HD should only be reimbursed if it is prescribed by an ophthalmologist with experience managing nAMD, it is not used in combination with other anti-VEGF drugs, and the cost of Eylea HD is not more than the least costly anti-VEGF drug covered by the public drug plans for the treatment of nAMD. Eylea HD should only be authorized for reimbursement for 12 months the first time it is used. Eylea HD should not continue to be reimbursed if injections need to be given more frequently than every 12 weeks or if the patient’s vision worsens by at least 5 letters due to their nAMD persisting or worsening and their central retina thickens by greater than 25 μm, new abnormal blood vessels form, or there is bleeding in the part of the eye responsible for central vision.