The Food and Drug Administration approved on Friday the first treatment for geographic atrophy, a progressive eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in older people.
The new drug, called Syfovre, is made by Apellis Pharmaceuticals.
Geographic atrophy is a disease of aging that occurs when the progressive formation of yellowish deposits under the retina damages and then destroys photoreceptors. The condition causes blind spots in vision that typically affect reading, driving, or night vision first, but eventually leads to blindness. Geographic atrophy affects 1 million people in the U.S. and another 2.7 million people in Europe.
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.
STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect