Did you know that aflibercept, also known by its brand name Eylea, is approved for treating nine different clinical conditions? From eye diseases like neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema to more serious systemic conditions like metastatic colorectal cancer, its versatility is truly remarkable. This broad range of uses highlights aflibercept’s proven safety and effectiveness across both ocular and systemic diseases.
At its core, aflibercept is a recombinant fusion protein designed to target and block VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and placental growth factor—key molecules involved in abnormal blood vessel growth. When administered intravitreally (in the eye), Eylea helps restore visual acuity and improve anatomical outcomes, making it a powerful treatment for various eye conditions.
In this article, we’ll dive into the Eylea generic name, explore how it works, discuss its dosing regimens, and look at its safety profile across the many conditions it treats.
Key Takeaways
- Aflibercept is the generic name for Eylea, and its International Nonproprietary Name (INN) ensures global recognition. With biosimilars emerging, understanding brand and generic names is vital for accurate prescribing and patient safety.
- Eylea (aflibercept) is a recombinant fusion protein approved for treating multiple ocular conditions. It can address neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and retinal vein occlusion.
- Unlike monoclonal antibodies, aflibercept targets multiple VEGF ligands (VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and PIGF) with ultra-high affinity. It provides a broad anti-angiogenic effect and offers a more comprehensive treatment for neovascular retinal diseases.
- Eylea’s decoy receptor architecture traps multiple VEGF ligands simultaneously. This design gives it a longer intravitreal residency and an extended half-life compared to monoclonal antibodies like ranibizumab and bevacizumab.
- The drug is administered intravitreally, and both 2 mg and 8 mg doses have shown similar visual acuity gains in clinical trials. Its 8 mg allows extended dosing intervals up to 12 weeks.
- Eylea’s ability to maintain effective VEGF suppression over longer intervals makes it a flexible treatment option for patients with neovascular diseases. This enhances patient adherence and reduces the treatment burden.
About: Medica Depot is your trusted all-in-one supplier, offering a range of high-quality medical injectables and supplies. If you’re looking to buy Eylea, contact Medica Depot’s sales representatives and they will guide you on how to do so. Whether for health professionals, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, licensed estheticians, or other specialists, we can offer genuine, brand-name products you may need. With Medica Depot, we prioritize serving you better to improve the patient’s quality of life.
Aflibercept Product Composition and VEGF-Binding Mechanism
Eylea’s formulation ensures the safety, stability, and efficacy of the drug through advanced recombinant DNA technology. Aflibercept, the generic name for Eylea, is produced in CHO cells and acts as a high-affinity VEGF trap. It neutralizes key ligands driving abnormal blood vessel growth in ocular diseases.
Eylea treatment prevents abnormal vessel growth that damages vision in conditions like diabetic retinopathy, wet AMD, and macular edema.
Aflibercept’s engineered structure consists of a fusion of the second immunoglobulin-like domain of human VEGFR-1 and the third domain of VEGFR-2, both fused to a human IgG1 Fc backbone. This unique design maximizes ligand capture, prolongs the intravitreal residency, and effectively blocks VEGF signaling.
The primary mechanism of action involves aflibercept binding to all biologically active VEGF-A isoforms, VEGF-B, and placental growth factor (PIGF). By outcompeting native receptors, it forms inert 1:1 complexes with VEGF dimers, effectively preventing VEGF signaling and halting the abnormal growth of blood vessels that contribute to retinal diseases.
This design improves ligand capture, extends intravitreal residency, and maintains VEGF blockade after each injection. Furthermore, aflibercept prevents vascular permeability and neovascularization. Multiple studies confirm that this wide ligand coverage underpins its therapeutic effectiveness in retinal disease.
How Aflibercept (Eylea) Differs from Monoclonal Antibodies
Aflibercept uses a decoy receptor architecture, setting it apart from monoclonal antibody (mAb) drugs like ranibizumab and bevacizumab, which only target VEGF-A. The fusion-protein format of aflibercept enables it to bind multiple VEGF ligands simultaneously. As a result, Eylea treatment provides enhanced molecular stability and a longer intravitreal half-life compared to monoclonal antibodies.
Ranibizumab and bevacizumab recognize VEGF-A with lower picomolar affinity and lack activity against VEGF-B and PIGF. In contrast, aflibercept’s high affinity for all three ligands makes Eylea injections a more potent option for managing neovascular retinal diseases, particularly in:
- Controlling fluid in Wet AMD
- Reducing retinal swelling in macular edema
- Stabilizing vision in diabetic retinopathy
These structural advantages explain why ophthalmologists frequently recommend Eylea as a first-line treatment.
FDA Approved Product: Understanding Brand vs Generic Naming in Biologics
When it comes to biologic drugs, both the trademarked brand name and the official generic name are essential for precise identification. Eylea, the brand-name for aflibercept, represents Regeneron’s fusion protein used to treat various ocular conditions. Meanwhile, aflibercept is the official reference product under the International Nonproprietary Name (INN). This was assigned by the World Health Organization to ensure global recognition and consistent prescribing.
Both identifiers are crucial for safe use, particularly when patients are receiving Eylea injections in conjunction with other treatments.
This naming system aids in maintaining clear communication between healthcare providers, pharmacies, and patients, particularly as biosimilars emerge in the market. The FDA has approved aflibercept biosimilars such as Yesafili (aflibercept-jbvf) and Opuviz (aflibercept-yszy). These interchangeable biosimilars follow the INN-plus-suffix naming convention to ensure pharmacovigilance and product traceability.
Regulators mandate distinct suffixes for biosimilars to maintain clear product traceability and avoid confusion among biologic agents. When prescribing, clinicians reference both the brand-name and the INN to ensure unambiguous communication across pharmacies, formularies, and international health systems.
Clinical Relevance of Aflibercept’s Broad Targeting Profile
One of the standout features of aflibercept is its ability to target multiple VEGF ligands, offering a more powerful anti-angiogenic action than other anti-VEGF drugs. By binding to VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and PIGF with ultra-high affinity, Eylea treatment prevents the uncontrolled blood vessel growth that characterizes neovascular retinal diseases.
In clinical trials, such as the PULSAR/PHOTON phase 3 trials, both 2 mg and 8 mg doses of aflibercept showed substantial improvements in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). This highlights that Eylea for macular degeneration of an 8 mg dose administered every ≥12 weeks provided similar BCVA gains to 2 mg administered every 8 weeks. It shows aflibercept’s flexibility in treatment intervals without compromising efficacy.
Further studies support these findings, confirming that aflibercept maintains vision gains while reducing the number of required Eylea injections. For patients and ophthalmologists, this means fewer visits, consistent outcomes, and reliable long-term disease control.
Conclusion
Aflibercept, marketed as Eylea, plays a pivotal role in managing a range of ocular conditions. These include neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). Its ability to neutralize multiple VEGF ligands makes it an essential tool in controlling abnormal blood vessel growth and preserving vision.
Understanding aflibercept’s mechanism of action and its differences from other anti-VEGF therapies allows healthcare professionals to offer the best care for their patients. As biosimilars continue to enter the market, recognizing both the brand name (Eylea) and the generic name (aflibercept) will ensure accurate communication and optimal treatment outcomes for neovascular retinal diseases.
FAQs
1. What is the generic name for Eylea?
The generic name for Eylea is aflibercept. It is a recombinant fusion protein that targets vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) related to eye diseases. Understanding this distinction aids in accurate prescribing and effective treatment.
2. How does aflibercept work in treating retinal conditions?
Aflibercept acts as a VEGF trap. It binds to and neutralizes VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and placental growth factor. It blocks their signaling and prevents abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina.
3. What distinguishes aflibercept from other monoclonal antibodies?
Unlike other monoclonal antibodies like ranibizumab, aflibercept can bind multiple VEGF family ligands at once. Its unique structure enhances its effectiveness and stability in the eye.
References
Aflibercept: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action. go.drugbank.com. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB08885
Papadopoulos N, Martin J, Ruan Q, et al. Binding and neutralization of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and related ligands by VEGF Trap, ranibizumab and bevacizumab. Angiogenesis. 2012;15(2):171-185. doi:10.1007/s10456-011-9249-6
Sivaprasad S, Korobelnik JF. BCVA gains with aflibercept 8 mg maintained through Week 96 in PULSAR with extended treatment intervals in patients with nAMD. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2024;65(7). https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2797602
