Looking into anti-angiogenic gene therapies for disorders of the eye.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) are the most common causes of visual impairment in the developed world. Because the key factor in AMD and DR is aberrant neovascularization in the retina (DR) or in the choroid (AMD), strategies to inhibit abnormal neovascularization represent a compelling therapeutic approach. Here we review various anti-angiogenic strategies for the treatment of ocular neovascular diseases with special emphasis on gene transfer as a way of achieving high, sustained concentrations of anti-angiogenic proteins in the back of the eye without concomitant systemic toxicity.