NFKB1 and age-related macular degeneration: In adult human RPE cell lines, APX3330 reduced the transcriptional activity of NF-κB, a key factor associated with inflammation in angiogenesis.218, 219 It also blocked activation of HIF-1α and reduced the expression of its downstream target VEGF.219 VEGF expression via NF-κB and HIF-1α is primarily responsible for choroidal neovascularization (CNV), a characteristic of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), also known as wet AMD.