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News
A 5-year follow-up study found that aflibercept 0.4 mg injections significantly outperformed laser therapy for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants. At age 5, 92% of children treated with aflibercept achieved 20/40 vision or better, compared to 75% in the laser group. The drug also led to far lower rates of high myopia, with no concerning safety signals detected.
A landmark 5-year follow-up study presented at the Euretina congress in Vienna has shown that aflibercept 0.4 mg (Eylea) injections offer superior long-term vision outcomes compared to laser photocoagulation in premature infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The FIREFLEYE next trial — the first prospective controlled phase 3b study of its kind — followed 113 patients with an impressive retention rate of 98 out of 113 at the 5-year mark.
Vision outcomes strongly favored aflibercept: 92% of treated children achieved 20/40 binocular vision or better (the threshold needed to legally drive in most countries), versus 75% in the laser group. Myopia outcomes were also markedly better in the aflibercept arm, with significantly fewer cases of high and very high myopia. Importantly, no differences in growth, neurodevelopment, or systemic safety were observed over the 5-year period.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: ROP is a leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide, and these results provide the strongest long-term evidence yet that aflibercept is a safer, more effective alternative to laser therapy — with no differences in growth, neurodevelopment, or systemic safety over 5 years.
