AMD in Finns

01.12.2022

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in older adults and is projected to affect 288 million people by the year 2040 (Ruan 2021 International Journal of Molecular Sciences). Late-stage AMD occurs in two forms, wet AMD, characterized by neovascularization, and dry AMD, characterized by geographic atrophy and degeneration of the neuroretina. While treatments exist for the wet form of late AMD (approximately 10% of late AMD patients), they are not effective for all wet AMD patients, and no therapies are currently approved for dry AMD, which represents most AMD patients, approximately 90% (Jager 2008 NEJM). The complement factor H (CFH) gene locus is well established as having a strong association with AMD. In this study, Biogen aims to further validate genes at the CFH locus for relevance in AMD by combining genetic data with proteomic data in AMD patients and control group.