Bevacizumab appears effective in rat model of corneal neovascularization

Researchers randomized 24 rats with cauterization-induced corneal inflammatory angiogenesis to a week of daily injection with saline (0.1 mL; control group), dexamethasone phosphate (4 mg/day), bevacizumab (2.5, 3.75, or 5.0 mg/day) or bevacizumab (5.0 mg/day) plus dexamethasone phosphate (4 mg/day). Bevacizumab as monotherapy or in combination with dexamethasone caused a significant reduction in corneal opacity and in the surface of corneal neovascularization compared with the control group. The corneal neovascularization surface was significantly reduced in the dexamethasone, bevacizumab 5.0 mg/day, and dexamethasone plus bevacizumab groups compared with the control group (P = 0.045, 0.047, and 0.044, respectively).