US Patent 7947267 Viral complement control proteins for eye disorders

The present invention provides compositions and methods for treating and/or preventing age related macular degeneration and other conditions involving macular degeneration or choroidal neovascularization. Certain of the compositions comprise a poxvirus complement control protein or a complement binding fragment or variant thereof. Other compositions comprise a poxvirus complement control protein linked to a moiety that binds to a component present on or at the surface of cell or noncellular molecular entity, e.g., a component present in the eye of a subject at risk of or suffering from age related macular degeneration or a related condition or choroidal neovascularization. Certain of the methods comprise administering a poxvirus complement control protein or complement binding fragment or variant thereof to a subject.