Ocular angiostatic agents

As angiogenesis is Important to the developing eye, continued proliferation in the post-natal period will result in a host of ocular disorders, many o f which will lead to blindness. Significant inroads to the impedance of abe rrant vessel growth have been derived from numerous fields of study includi ng oncology, wound healing and ophthalmology. Angiogenesis is a complex pro cess involving a variety of steps including: elaboration of angiogenic fact ors, activation of receptor linked signalling pathways, altered gene expres sion resulting in modulation of the receptor/signalling pathway or to the p roduction of extracellular proteinases that degrade the vascular endothelia l cell (VEC) basement membrane and components of the extracellular matrix. Extracellular modifications are required for migration of activated VECs an d subsequent differentiation into newly formed blood vessels. To all aspect s of the angiogenic cascade, new drug candidates have been described and te sted in a variety of ocular neovascularisation models. A number of these ag ents are currently in clinical phases of investigation for disorders in bot h the anterior and posterior segments of the eye.