Intravitreal pegcetacoplan injections for macular degeneration raises concerns about post-treatment complications

A significant percentage of patients receiving intravitreal pegcetacoplan injections experienced symptomatic floaters caused by presumed intravitreal silicone oil droplets when using a specific type of syringe (McKesson 1-mL Luer lock syringe), according to a study.

A retrospective case series study examined 55 patients who received intravitreal pegcetacoplan injections administered using needles from the Apellis Pharmaceuticals kit on a 1-mL McKesson Luer lock syringe.

Results found that 29% of patients (16 out of 55) developed presumed intravitreal silicone droplets within 2 to 4 weeks post-treatment. Of these cases, 88% reported symptomatic floaters described as persistent, while 13% remained asymptomatic. Notably, there were no signs of inflammation, infection, elevated intraocular pressure, or changes in visual acuity among these patients.

The study highlights the importance of informing patients about this potential adverse effect and raises concerns about the use of the McKesson syringe for pegcetacoplan injections. Researchers recommend considering silicone-free syringes as an alternative to mitigate this complication.

Reference
Dessouki A, He L, Park K, et al. Presumed Silicone Oil Droplets After Intravitreal Pegcetacoplan Injections. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023;e234326. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.4326. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37796497; PMCID: PMC10557030.