Methods and Compositions for Treating Conditions of the Eye
Provided are methods and compositions for treating ocular conditions characterized by the presence of unwanted choroidal neovasculature, for example, neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The selectivity and sensitivity of, for example, a photodynamic therapy (PDT)-based approach can be enhanced by combining the PDT with an anti-FasL factor, for example, an anti-FasL neutralizing antibody.
1 - 16 . (canceled)
17 . A method for reducing photoreceptor cell death associated with a photodynamic-therapy-based method that uses a photosensitizer to treat unwanted choroidal neovasculature in a mammal, the method comprising
administering to an eye of the mammal an amount of an anti-FasL factor sufficient to reduce photoreceptor cell death associated with photodynamic therapy relative to photodynamic therapy without the anti-FasL factor,
wherein the anti-FasL factor is selected from the group consisting of an anti-FasL antibody, an anti-Fas antibody, decoy receptor 3, and a decoy receptor 3 analog.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the mammal is a primate.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the primate is human.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the photosensitizer is an amino acid derivative, an azo dye, a xanthene derivative, a chlorin, a tetrapyrrole derivative, or a phthalocyanine.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the photosensitizer is lutetium texaphyrin, a benzoporphyrin, a benzoporphyrin derivative, a hematoporphyrin, or a hematoporphyrin derivative.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the photosensitizer is lutetium texaphyrin.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the photosensitizer is a benzoporphyrin.
24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the photosensitizer is a benzoporphyrin derivative.
25 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the anti-FasL factor is an anti-FasL antibody.
26 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the anti-FasL factor is an anti-Fas antibody.
27 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the anti-FasL factor is decoy receptor-3.
28 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the anti-FasL factor is a decoy receptor-3 analog.
29 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the anti-FasL factor is administered to the mammal prior to photodynamic therapy.
30 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the anti-FasL factor is administered to the mammal during photodynamic therapy.
31 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the method ameliorates the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration.
32 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the photoreceptor cell death is apoptotic cell death.