Introduction
RPE, AMD, drusen
DRUSEN, PATHOLOGICAL PROCESSES, AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION, SEPARATION
Dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized in its early stages by a thickening of the Bruch’s membrane and accumulation of deposits on the apical retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) surface (subretinal drusenoid deposits) and on Bruch’s membrane beneath the RPE (drusen) [Evidence suggests a role of the complement pathway in AMD and GA, and the potential for complement system components as therapeutic targets [While an overactive complement pathway is implicated in several pathological processes, the complement system also plays an important role in the maintenance of retinal integrity by eliminating immune complexes and apoptotic cells and mediating adaptive immune functions [GATHER1 was a recent international, prospective, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled, pivotal phase 2/3 clinical trial [In this paper, we present the final report covering the entire 18-month treatment period of GATHER1, which is noteworthy for the following 3 reasons. First, to continue to demonstrate an acceptable safety profile. Second, to assess a persistent efficacy by means of separation of GA growth rates between treatment and sham cohorts. Third, to evaluate the potential of the drug to prevent consequent central vision loss, which usually happens after 12 months of follow-up [