VITREOUS LEVELS OF UNBOUND BEVACIZUMAB AND UNBOUND VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR IN TWO PATIENTS.
BEER, PAUL M. MD *+; WONG, SUSAN J. PhD ++; HAMMAD, AMJAD M. MD *+; FALK, NAOMI S. MD *+; O'MALLEY, MARTIN R. MD +; KHAN, SAMIRA +
[Article] Retina. 26(8):871-876, October 2006.

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Background: Vitreous levels of unbound bevacizumab (Avastin) and unbound vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined in two patients. Patient 1 underwent repair of an 8-day-old rhegmatogenous retinal detachment 4 weeks after a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection, and Patient 2 underwent vitreous biopsy for endophthalmitis 48 hours after a combined bevacizumab and triamcinolone injection.

Methods: The samples of vitreous fluid were analyzed for unbound bevacizumab and unbound VEGF levels using microsphere immunoassays targeted for bevacizumab and VEGF.

Results: In Patient 1, the unbound bevacizumab level was 0.16% of the loading dose (or 500,000 pg/mL) and the unbound VEGF concentration was <41 pg/mL 4 weeks after the bevacizumab injection. In Patient 2, the unbound bevacizumab level was 53% of the loading dose (or 166,000,000 pg/mL) at 48 hours, with an unbound VEGF level of <41 pg/mL.

Conclusion: A single dose of intravitreal bevacizumab is likely to provide complete intravitreal VEGF blockade for a minimum of 4 weeks, with an intravitreal bevacizumab half-life of [almost equal to]3 days.

(C) 2006 by Ophthalmic Communications Society, Inc.