Heparin for the treatment of ocular pathologies

1 . A formulation for treating ocular neovascularization comprising a composition comprising heparin in a concentration and dose suitable for treating ocular neovascularization, characterized in that said composition is in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye.

2 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said composition is at a substantially neutral pH or

wherein the heparin is low molecular weight heparin or

wherein the heparin is in a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 100 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the tetracycline or a derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of: doxycycline, demeclocycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, lymecycline, CMT-315, CMT-3, CMT-8, CMT-308 or 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-dedimethylamino tetracylcine (COL-3) or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the tetracycline or a derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of: doxycycline, demeclocycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, lymecycline, CMT-315, CMT-3, CMT-8, CMT-308 or 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-dedimethylamino tetracylcine (COL-3) and

wherein doxycycline is the tetracycline derivative employed in the formulation or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and

wherein the steroid is selected from the group consisting of: triamcinolone, budesonide, cortisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, prednisone sodium phosphate, fluorometholone, fluorometholone alcohol, rimexolone, medrysone alcohol, lotoprednol etabonate, 11-desoxcortisol, and anecortave acetate or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and

wherein the steroid is 9-fluoro-11,21-ihydroxy-16,17-[1-methylethylidinebis(oxy)]pregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and

wherein the anti-prostaglandin is selected from the group consisting of: flurbiprofen, indomethacin, ketorolac, tromethamine, meclofenamate, flurbiprofen, and compounds in the pyrrolo-pyrrole group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and

wherein the anti-prostaglandin is flurbiprofen or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic and

wherein the macrolide antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of: tacrolimus, cyclosporine, sirolimus, everolimus, ascomycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, lincomycin, dirithromycin, josamycin, spiramycin, diacetyl-midecamycin, tylosin, roxithromycin, ABT-773, telithromycin, leucomycins, and lincosamide or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic and

wherein the macrolide antibiotic is ascomycin or

wherein the formulation also includes an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein the formulation also includes an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the inhibitor of a metalloproteinase is selected from the group consisting of: naturally occurring proteins such as TIMP-1 that specifically inhibit matrix metalloproteinases, and synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitors including Batimastat (BB-94) and marimastat (BB-2516), collagenase I and III (MMP-1 and MMP-13), gelatinase A and B (MMP-2 and -9), stromelysin (MMP-3), matrilysin (MMP-7) or membrane type MMP (MMP-14).

3 . An ocular pharmaceutically acceptable formulation comprising a composition comprising:

(a) a heparin or low molecular weight heparin in a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 100 mg/ml, characterized in that said composition is at a substantially neutral pH in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye to reduce ocular neovascularization and

(b) a steroid, an anti-prostoglandin, an inhibitor of metalloproteinase, a tetracycline, a macrolide antibiotic or any combination thereof.

4 . The formulation of claim 3 wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is an anti-prostagiandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml.

5 . A method for treating ocular neovascularization comprising administering to a patient a formulation comprising a composition comprising heparin in a concentration and dose suitable for treating ocular neovascularization, wherein said composition is in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye, for a sufficient time to treat the ocular neovascularization.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the formulation comprises a low molecular weight heparin in a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 100 mg/ml, characterized in that said compound is at a substantially neutral pH in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the formulation comprises a composition comprising heparin in a concentration and dose suitable for treating ocular neovascularization, characterized in that said composition is in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye or

wherein said composition is at a substantially neutral pH or

wherein the heparin is low molecular weight heparin or

wherein the heparin is in a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 100 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the tetracycline or a derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of: doxycycline, demeclocycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, lymecycline, CMT-315, CMT-3, CMT-8, CMT-308 or 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-dedimethylamino tetracylcine (COL-3) or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the tetracycline or a derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of: doxycycline, demeclocycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, lymecycline, CMT-315, CMT-3, CMT-8, CMT-308 or 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-dedimethylamino tetracylcine (COL-3) and

wherein doxycycline is the tetracycline derivative employed in the formulation or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and

wherein the steroid is selected from the group consisting of: triamcinolone, budesonide, cortisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, prednisone sodium phosphate, fluorometholone, fluorometholone alcohol, rimexolone, medrysone alcohol, lotoprednol etabonate, 11-desoxcortisol, and anecortave acetate or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and

wherein the steroid is 9-fluoro-11,21-ihydroxy-16,17-[1-methylethylidinebis(oxy)]pregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and

wherein the anti-prostaglandin is selected from the group consisting of: flurbiprofen, indomethacin, ketorolac, tromethamine, meclofenamate, flurbiprofen, and compounds in the pyrrolo-pyrrole group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and

wherein the anti-prostaglandin is flurbiprofen or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic and

wherein the macrolide antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of: tacrolimus, cyclosporine, sirolimus, everolimus, ascomycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, lincomycin, dirithromycin, josamycin, spiramycin, diacetyl-midecamycin, tylosin, roxithromycin, ABT-773, telithromycin, leucomycins, and lincosamide or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic and

wherein the macrolide antibiotic is ascomycin or

wherein the formulation also includes an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein the formulation also includes an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the inhibitor of a metalloproteinase is selected from the group consisting of: naturally occurring proteins such as TIMP-1 that specifically inhibit matrix metalloproteinases, and synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitors including Batimastat (BB-94) and marimastat (BB-2516), collagenase I and III (MMP-1 and MMP-13), gelatinase A and B (MMP-2 and -9), stromelysin (MMP-3), matrilysin (MMP-7) or membrane type MMP (MMP-14).

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the formulation comprises a composition comprising:

(a) a heparin or low molecular weight heparin in a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 100 mg/ml, characterized in that said composition is at a substantially neutral pH in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye to reduce ocular neovascularization and

(b) a steroid, an anti-prostogiandin, an inhibitor of metalloproteinase, a tetracycline, a macrolide antibiotic or any combination thereof.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml.

10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises administering the formulation to a patient in a cyclic tumor treatment regimen to reduce blood vessel growth and proliferation at a tumor site or

wherein the method further comprises the step of administering an anti-angiogenic agent designed to block the actions of VEGF on endothelial cells or

wherein the method further comprises the step of administering an anti-angiogenic agent designed to block the actions of VEGF on endothelial cells and

wherein the anti-angiogenic agent is a rhuFab V2 or a humanized AMD-Fab or an anti-VEGF aptamer.

11 . A method for reducing ocular irritation comprising administering to a patient a formulation comprising a composition comprising heparin in a concentration and dose suitable for treating ocular neovascularization, characterized in that said composition is in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye following corneal surgery.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein said composition is at a substantially neutral pH or

wherein the heparin is low molecular weight heparin or

wherein the heparin is in a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 100 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the tetracycline or a derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of: doxycycline, demeclocycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, lymecycline, CMT-315, CMT-3, CMT-8, CMT-308 or 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-dedimethylamino tetracylcine (COL-3) or

wherein the formulation also includes a tetracycline or a derivative thereof including chemically modified tetracyclines which inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity, characterized in that said tetracycline or derivative thereof is at in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye in an amount sufficient to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the tetracycline or a derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of: doxycycline, demeclocycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, lymecycline, CMT-315, CMT-3, CMT-8, CMT-308 or 6-demethyl-6-deoxy-4-dedimethylamino tetracylcine (COL-3) and

wherein doxycycline is the tetracycline derivative employed in the formulation or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and

wherein the steroid is selected from the group consisting of: triamcinolone, budesonide, cortisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, prednisone sodium phosphate, fluorometholone, fluorometholone alcohol, rimexolone, medrysone alcohol, lotoprednol etabonate, 11-desoxcortisol, and anecortave acetate or

wherein the formulation also includes a steroid at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and

wherein the steroid is 9-fluoro-11,21-ihydroxy-16,17-[1-methylethylidinebis(oxy)]pregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and

wherein the anti-prostaglandin is selected from the group consisting of: flurbiprofen, indomethacin, ketorolac, tromethamine, meclofenamate, flurbiprofen, and compounds in the pyrrolo-pyrrole group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or

wherein the formulation also includes an anti-prostaglandin in a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and

wherein the anti-prostaglandin is flurbiprofen or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic and

wherein the macrolide antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of: tacrolimus, cyclosporine, sirolimus, everolimus, ascomycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, lincomycin, dirithromycin, josamycin, spiramycin, diacetyl-midecamycin, tylosin, roxithromycin, ABT-773, telithromycin, leucomycins, and lincosamide or

wherein the formulation also includes an antimicrobial in a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml and

wherein the antimicrobial is a macrolide antibiotic and

wherein the macrolide antibiotic is ascomycin or

wherein the formulation also includes an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein the formulation also includes an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization and

wherein the inhibitor of a metalloproteinase is selected from the group consisting of: naturally occurring proteins such as TIMP-1 that specifically inhibit matrix metalloproteinases, and synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitors including Batimastat (BB-94) and marimastat (BB-2516), collagenase I and III (MMP-1 and MMP-13), gelatinase A and B (MMP-2 and -9), stromelysin (MMP-3), matrilysin (MMP-7) or membrane type MMP (MMP-14).

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the formulation comprises a composition comprising:

(a) a heparin or low molecular weight heparin in a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 100 mg/ml, characterized in that said composition is at a substantially neutral pH in a pharmaceutically acceptable form suitable for delivery to the eye to reduce ocular neovascularization and

(b) a steroid, an anti-prostoglandin, an inhibitor of metalloproteinase, a tetracycline, a macrolide antibiotic or any combination thereof.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein (b) is a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an inhibitor of a metalloproteinase in a concentration and dose to reduce ocular neovascularization or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml or

wherein (b) is a tetracycline or a derivative thereof (including CMTs which inhibit MMP activity) such as doxycycline at a concentration from about 0.01 pg/ml to about 30 mg/ml and a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide at a concentration from about 0.1 mg/ml to about 40 mg/ml and an anti-prostaglandin such as flurbiprofen at a concentration from about 1 μg/ml to about 10 mg/ml and an macrolide antibiotic such as ascomycin at a concentration from about 20 μg/ml to about 200 μg/ml.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises the step of administering an anti-angiogenic agent designed to block the actions of VEGF on endothelial cells or

wherein the method further comprises the step of administering an anti-angiogenic agent designed to block the actions of VEGF on endothelial cells and

wherein the anti-angiogenic agent is a rhuFab V2 or a humanized AMD-Fab or an anti-VEGF aptamer.