Abstract: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune antibody-mediated disorder which causes fluctuating weakness in ocular, bulbar and limb skeletal muscles. There are two major clinical types of MG. Ocular MG (OMG) affects extra ocular muscles associated with eye movement and eyelid function and generalized MG results in muscle weakness throughout the body. Patients with OMG have painless fluctuating extra ocular muscles weakness, diplopia and ptosis accompanied by normal visual acuity and pupillary function. Frequently, patients with OMG develop generalized MG over 24 months. Pure OMG is more often earlier in onset (<45 years) than generalized MG. It can also occur as part of an immune-genetic disorder or paraneoplastic syndrome related to thymus tumors. Diagnosis is based on clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, electrophysiological evaluation and pharmacologic tests. Therapeutic strategies for MG consist of symptom relieving medications (e.g., acetylcholine esterase inhibitors), immunosuppressive agents, and surgical intervention (e.g., thymectomy).

Abstract: In developed countries, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of visual impairment in the elderly. Though the etiology of AMD is still unclear, it has been well understood that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in the development of aberrant vasculature that represents the neovascular AMD (nAMD). Hence, VEGF inhibition is a more effective way to control nAMD. Pegaptanib, ranibizumab, and aflibercept are three drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat nAMD. Bevacizumab (an anti-VEGF medication comparable to ranibizumab) is already widely used off label. Existing anti-VEGF medicines are made up of antibodies or pieces of antibodies. Synthetic designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) imitate antibodies introduced recently by evolutions in bioengineering technology. These agents are designed to have high specificity and affinity to a specific target, smaller molecular size, and better tissue penetration, making them more stable and longer-acting at less concentration. Abicipar pegol (Allergan, Dublin, Ireland) is a DARPin that interlocks all VEGF-A isoforms. It has a greater affinity for VEGF and a longer intraocular half-life than ranibizumab, making it a feasible anti-VEGF agent. This review describes the properties and efficacy of abicipar, the new anti-VEGF agent, in clinical practice, which aims to improve outcomes, safety, and treatment burden of nAMD.