Avastin boosts vitrectomy success rates

Article

Avastin (bevacizumab; Genentech) increases the ease of vitrectomy in severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), according to a study published in the July issue of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.

Avastin (bevacizumab; Genentech) increases the ease of vitrectomy in severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), according to a study published in the July issue of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.

Jonathan Yeoh of the Vitreoretinal Unit and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia and colleagues gave a single injection of Avastin to 16 study subjects (18 eyes) with severe PDR who were about to undergo vitrectomy to treat either tractional retinal detachment or vitreous haemorrhage.

Three months postoperatively, visual acuity (VA) had remained the same or improved over baseline in 11 eyes; by the six month follow-up point, VA had improved over baseline in 14 eyes, and remained the same in one eye. Of the seven rebleeds that occurred after surgery, six required surgical washout.

The researchers therefore concluded that Avastin facilitates vitrectomy success in PDR subjects, and noted that this technique is particularly useful when neovascularization is still active and short duration traction detachments are being treated.

Newsletter

Get the essential updates shaping the future of pharma manufacturing and compliance—subscribe today to Pharmaceutical Technology and never miss a breakthrough.

Recent Videos
Jay Chhablani, MD, shares late-breaking data from the ArMaDa trial, investigating gene therapy for Geographic Atrophy and dry age-related macular degeneration, at EURETINA
Editorial advisory board member Alexandra Miere, MD, PhD, speaks about the ACTOR and HERMES studies at the 2025 European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) Congress
María Berrocal, MD, speaks about the Vit-Buckle Society symposium hosted at the 2025 European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) annual meeting
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.