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Macugen

pegaptanib (no longer available)

Used for Macular Degeneration

Macugen (pegaptanib) is an injectable medication used for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). This eye condition happens when fluid leaks into the back of the retina (a layer of cells in the back of the eye). Macugen (pegaptanib) is typically injected into the eye by an eye specialist. This medication has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available in the United States.

Reviewed by:

Ally Tsai, PharmD

Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD

Last reviewed on June 24, 2022

Basics FAQs Interactions Alternatives Prices Medicare

What is Macugen (pegaptanib)?

What is Macugen (pegaptanib) used for?

Wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD)

How Macugen (pegaptanib) works

Drug Facts

Common BrandsMacugen (brand no longer available)

Drug ClassVEGF inhibitor

Controlled Substance ClassificationNot a controlled medication

Generic StatusNo lower-cost generic available

AvailabilityDiscontinued

Frequently asked questions about Macugen (pegaptanib)

What is Macugen (pegaptanib)?

Macugen (pegaptanib) is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor. It blocks VEGF, a protein that makes new blood vessels in the body. When there's too much of these proteins in the eye, it creates new, but weak blood vessels that leak fluid into the back of the eye. By blocking VEGF proteins from working, Macugen (pegaptanib) slows the growth of additional blood vessels to lessen the amount of fluid that leaks into the eye. This helps lower the risk of vision loss in people with wet AMD.

Is Macugen (pegaptanib) still available?

No, Macugen (pegaptanib) has been discontinued and is no longer available in the United States.

Why was Macugen (pegaptanib) discontinued?

It's not clear why Macugen (pegaptanib) was discontinued by the manufacturer, Eyetech (a part of Bausch Health, formerly known as Valeant). The U.S. FDA hasn't listed any reasons for its discontinuation.

What other medications can I use instead of Macugen (pegaptanib)?

Your provider will help guide you to an alternative treatment for your wet AMD. There are other medications in the VEGF inhibitor class that are injected into the eye to slow down vision loss from wet AMD. They help stop fluid leakage from blood vessels in the back of your eye. There are currently three VEGF inhibitors that are FDA approved for wet AMD: Eylea (aflibercept), Beovu (brolucizumab), and Lucentis (ranibizumab). Avastin (bevacizumab) is another VEGF inhibitor that's currently available. It's FDA approved to treat cancer, but eye specialists use it off-label to treat wet AMD. This means it hasn't been proven to be safe or work well for this purpose through the FDA, but other research has provided clinical evidence that it works well to treat wet AMD. Among these four VEGF inhibitors, there are slight differences in how often you receive these medications. Your body may also respond better to one medication versus another. Talk with your provider to determine which medication is best for you.

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Interactions between Macugen (pegaptanib) and other drugs

Macugen (pegaptanib) may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Macugen (pegaptanib). Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.