An older anti-VEGF eye injection
Pegaptanib
An older injection into the eye for wet AMD, now little used as newer anti-VEGF treatments are generally preferred.
What is Pegaptanib?
Pegaptanib is an older anti-VEGF medicine injected into the eye to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, where fragile, leaky blood vessels damage central vision. It was one of the first treatments of its kind, but it is now little used because newer anti-VEGF injections generally work better. It is given by an eye specialist in a clean clinic, and the same eye-safety warnings apply as for other eye injections: a painful, red or suddenly blurred eye after an injection must be reported urgently.
Education and reference only. This is a plain-language guide to Pegaptanib — it deliberately contains no doses. Doses depend on the person, the brand and the reason for treatment, and belong with your prescriber. Always check the BNF, the product labelling (SmPC) and follow medical advice.
What it is
Pegaptanib is an older anti-VEGF medicine used for wet age-related macular degeneration. It blocks the VEGF signal that drives the abnormal, leaky blood vessels behind the eye, but it targets VEGF more narrowly than newer treatments. It was one of the first anti-VEGF eye injections available, and although it is given in the same way, as a small injection into the eye by an eye specialist, it is now rarely chosen because newer options tend to protect sight more effectively.
How it works
Pegaptanib binds to one form of the VEGF signal and blocks it, reducing the growth and leakage of abnormal blood vessels under the retina in wet AMD. Because it targets VEGF more selectively than newer anti-VEGF medicines, it tends to be less effective overall, which is why later treatments have largely replaced it. As with all anti-VEGF injections, the effect wears off and repeat injections are needed to keep the condition controlled.
Company & origin
Originated / developed by: Pfizer / Bausch & Lomb.
An older anti-VEGF medicine injected into the eye for wet AMD, now little used in the UK as newer treatments are generally preferred.
Practical use
How to take Pegaptanib
General, dose-free guidance — always follow your prescriber's and the leaflet's specific instructions.
- It is given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist in a clinic; it is not used at home.
- Numbing drops and an antiseptic are used first, and a clean technique reduces the risk of infection.
- Attend your injection and review appointments, as the benefit relies on regular treatment.
- Do not rub your eye afterwards, and use any drops you are given exactly as directed.
- Seek urgent eye-clinic advice if your eye becomes painful, increasingly red, or your vision suddenly worsens after an injection.
Weighing it up
Advantages & disadvantages of Pegaptanib
Advantages
- Was an early, important treatment that helped slow sight loss in wet AMD.
- Given as a targeted injection into the eye, so it acts where it is needed with little effect on the rest of the body.
- Long experience of use means its effects and risks are well known.
Disadvantages
- Generally less effective than newer anti-VEGF injections, so it is now little used.
- Still needs repeated injections and regular reviews, as the effect wears off.
- Carries the usual small but serious risks of eye infection (endophthalmitis) and raised eye pressure.
Practical use
Good to know
It is honest to say that pegaptanib is now an older, less-used treatment that newer anti-VEGF injections have largely replaced because they generally protect sight better. You may come across it for historical reasons or in particular circumstances, but most people with wet AMD are offered a newer option. If you are treated with it, it is given just like other eye injections, with numbing drops and a clean technique, and the same safety points apply. The key risk to recognise is a rare but serious eye infection (endophthalmitis) and a temporary rise in eye pressure: in the days after an injection, watch for a painful, increasingly red eye, worsening vision, new floaters or light sensitivity, and seek urgent eye-clinic advice. Mild redness, grittiness or brief floaters are common and usually settle.
Who should not take it / use with caution
- People with an active or suspected eye infection should not be injected until it is treated.
- It is avoided if you have had a serious allergic reaction to pegaptanib or any of its ingredients.
- Used with caution, after weighing the risks, in pregnancy and breastfeeding and after a recent stroke or heart attack.
Monitoring
- Eye examinations and scans (such as OCT) to see how the retina is responding and to plan the next injection.
- Checking eye pressure and looking for any signs of infection or inflammation after injections.
- Reviewing your vision over the course of treatment, including whether a newer treatment would be better.
Side effects
- Temporary eye redness, soreness, grittiness, a small bloodshot patch or floaters that usually settle within days.
- A short-lived rise in eye pressure after the injection, which the clinic checks for.
- Rarely, a serious eye infection (endophthalmitis), retinal detachment or a sudden loss of vision, all needing urgent care.
Key interactions
- Because it works locally in the eye, important interactions with tablets and other medicines are uncommon.
- Tell the clinic about any blood-thinning medicines, although these are not usually a reason to stop treatment.
- If switching to a newer anti-VEGF injection, the specialist will plan the timing and the affected eye.
Available as: Solution given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist.
Answers
Pegaptanib: frequently asked questions
Is pegaptanib still used?
It is an older anti-VEGF eye injection that is now little used, because newer treatments generally protect sight more effectively, so most people with wet AMD are offered a newer option.
Why might a newer treatment be offered instead?
Newer anti-VEGF injections tend to be more effective at controlling the leakage that damages central vision, which is why they have largely replaced pegaptanib.
Is the injection safe?
It is given as a routine procedure with numbing drops and a clean technique; as with all eye injections, the main serious risk, a deep eye infection, is rare but should be reported quickly if it occurs.
What should I watch for after the injection?
Seek urgent eye-clinic advice if your eye becomes painful, increasingly red, very sensitive to light, or your vision suddenly worsens, as these can signal a serious infection.
Does it cure wet AMD?
No, it controls the leakage rather than curing the condition, and its effect wears off, so repeat injections and reviews are needed.
The wider class
About Anti-VEGF eye injection (older)
Pegaptanib belongs to the anti-vegf eye injection (older) class. For how the class as a whole works, its shared safety principles and monitoring, see the full guide.
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Authoritative sources
- BNF
- NICE CKS
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