Advancing Care in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Macular Edema: Optimizing Outcomes With Emerging Therapies

This activity was originally presented live at Asembia's AXS25 Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 28, 2025.

Program Description
Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) are leading causes of visual impairment among older adults. Intravitreal administration of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies has been the gold standard for treating nAMD and DME, but these treatment strategies are associated with limitations of efficacy and increased burden due to frequent injection intervals. Other challenges include ensuring early and intensive treatment, as well as access and affordability issues. The discussion will examine novel treatment approaches, such as treat-and-extend regimens, and the clinical and real-world data for newer treatment options to reduce patient burden while improving adherence and visual outcomes. Faculty will emphasize strategies for specialty pharmacists and managed care professionals to collaborate with multidisciplinary ophthalmology teams and optimize medication management, address treatment adherence, and navigate access barriers.

Target Audience: Managed care and specialty pharmacists

Type of Activity: Application
Release date: May 6, 2025
Expiration date: May 6, 2026
Learner level: Intermediate
Time to complete activity: 1.5 hours
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Examine the burden of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME), highlighting disease prevalence, unmet needs, economic impact, and patient-centered challenges
• Document the efficacy, safety, and administration of current and emerging therapies for nAMD and DME
• Apply managed care strategies using evidence-based guidelines and real-world data to optimize treatment effectiveness, ensure cost-effectiveness, and improve patient access to advanced therapies

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education^™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-25-128-H01-P. The activity is available for CE credit through May 6, 2026.

Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit

To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, view the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.

Disclosures

Deepak Sambhara, MD, has the following relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:

Grant/Research Support: American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dunbar Hoskins IRIS Registry Grant; 4DMT (Research), Adverum Biotechnologies (Research), Annexon Biosciences (Research), Kodiak Sciences (Research), DRCR Retina Network (Research), Ocular Therapeutix (Research)
Consultant: Adverum Biotechnologies, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Astellas Pharma Inc, Coherus Biosciences, Eyepoint Pharmaceuticals, Genentech, Ocular Therapeutix, Opthea, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Speaker's Bureau: Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Astellas Pharma Inc, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

The following contributors have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:

Faculty

Casey Koch, PharmD, MBA

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education^™ Planning Staff—Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Maryjo Dixon, RPh, MBA; Adam C. Welch, PharmD, MBA, FAPhA; Crissy Wilson; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; Chloe Taccetta, and Rebecca Green.

At least one anonymous peer reviewer was used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Educational Disclaimer
CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.

For questions about this internet CPE activity, please contact:
[email protected]
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Information:
www.pharmacytimes.org/terms