Aflibercept: The Leading Anti-VEGF Therapy in the US
Here’s a breakdown of the key data from the provided text:
Key Findings Regarding Anti-VEGF Treatment (Bevacizumab vs. Others):
* demographic Differences: physicians who only used bevacizumab treated a higher percentage of minority patients (25-90% more) and a lower percentage of white patients (11-14% fewer) compared to those using other agents.
* Patient Complexity: Bevacizumab-only physicians treated patients with more complex medical conditions and higher risks of systemic comorbidities.
* Geographic Location: These physicians were more frequently enough located in the southern U.S. and in rural areas.
Cost analysis:
* Rising Costs: average spending on anti-VEGF agents increased by $175 million per year (a 33% increase, significantly higher than the 19% consumer inflation rate – P* = .0028).
* Not Patient Volume: This cost increase wasn’t due to more patients being treated; beneficiary numbers and injection volume remained stable.
* Declining Costs for Other Drugs: Medicare payments for aflibercept and ranibizumab *decreased.
* Cause of Increase: the increase in cost is attributed to a change in the mix of agents being used,specifically a shift towards bevacizumab.
Source Information:
* Study: Engelhard SB, et al. Regional and demographic variations in anti-VEGF utilization among Medicare beneficiaries.
* presentation: Presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Oct. 17-20, 2025, in Orlando.
* Disclosure: Engelhard reports no relevant financial disclosures.