Lucentis improves anatomic outcomes

Ranibizumab (Lucentis) helps improve anatomic outcomes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to Nancy HoleKamp, MD speaking at the retina free paper session at the 2006 AAO meeting in Las Vegas.

In a retrospective analysis of the Phase III MARINA study results, patients with neovascular AMD who were treated with a 0.5 mg dose of ranibizumab demonstrated improvement in anatomic outcomes that corresponded to improved visual acuity (VA).

Fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were used to assess anatomic changes for patients receiving ranibizumab or sham injection over 24 months for FA and 12 months for OCT, explained Dr Holekamp. The key anatomic endpoints were: mean total lesion area at 24 months; total area of CNV at 24 months; mean area of leakage at 24 months; mean foveal retinal thickness at 12 months.

Ranibizumab was shown to have favourable anatomic outcomes with little growth in the mean total lesion area, no growth of CNV, decreased leakage, and significant thinning of the retina, Dr Holekamp said.

"These anatomic changes were consistent with visual outcomes," she concluded.