Bay Area Retina Associates (BARA) Offers the First-Ever FDA-Approved Treatment for Geographic Atrophy (GA), the Advanced Dry Form of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bay Area Retina Associates (BARA) is thrilled to announce that SYFOVRE™ (pegcetacoplan injection) has been approved by the FDA as the first treatment for Geographic Atrophy (GA). The physicians and clinical researchers at BARA are proud to have been a part of the groundbreaking clinical trials that were sponsored by Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., that led to FDA approval and are thrilled to be one of the first medical groups in the country to provide this treatment for patients with GA, the advanced dry form of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). AMD is a leading cause of vision loss among people ages 50 and older, affecting more than 10 million Americans, including nearly one million with GA. GA slowly robs people of their central vision and impacts their ability to drive, read, and see faces.

“This is yet another example of how we are advancing vision care by developing new treatment options for patients living with blinding diseases”

Vision loss from GA can severely impact a patient’s quality of life. 63% of patients have difficulty reading for everyday tasks, 38% felt helpless or embarrassed at their need for assistance, and 2 out of 3 patients lost the ability to drive in a median time of <2 years from the time of diagnosis.¹

SYFOVRE™ has now been approved for all patients with GA, with dosing flexibility every 25 to 60 days. The treatment has a well-demonstrated safety profile following ~12,000 injections over 24 months and is indicated to slow the progression of GA.²

“This is yet another example of how we are advancing vision care by developing new treatment options for patients living with blinding diseases,” says Roger A. Goldberg, MD, one of Bay Area Retina Associates’ specialists. At BARA, Dr. Goldberg has been an investigator in over 30 clinical trials for AMD, retinal vein, occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, and others. He adds, “Being able to offer clinical and translational research opportunities for patients while providing the highest-quality medical and surgical care for all our patients, is a huge blessing.”

For more information, contact Bay Area Retina Associates at (800) 5-RETINA (573-8462) or info@bayarearetina.com or visit www.bayarearetina.com.

About Bay Area Retina Associates

Bay Area Retina Associates is a group practice of retinal surgeons that have served the Bay Area community for 40 years. All members of the group are board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and have completed fellowship training in the medical and surgical care of retinal diseases. All BARA surgeons have expertise in the treatment of common diseases such as AMD, diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment, as well as rare diseases.

[1] www.pre-lesion.com. A Patient’s Quality of Life Living with GA.

[2] https://investors.apellis.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-syfovretm-pegcetacoplan-injection-first-and-only. FDA Approves SYFOVRE™ (pegcetacoplan injection) as the First and Only Treatment for Geographic Atrophy (GA), a Leading Cause of Blindness.