Novartis gains European approval for ranibizumab

Novartis will be the first company to offer licensed therapy ranibizumab to treat myopic choroidal neovascularisation (CNV).

Approval was granted after data from the Novartis-sponsored clinical trial RADIANCE. The study demonstrated that ranibizumab provides superior improvement in visual acuity compared to current treatment methods such as verteporfin PDT.

CND patients will receive one ranibizumab injection and further injections based on individual requirements. Monitoring is needed for at least two months, with retreatment administered based on vision and anatomical changes.

Mr Adnan Tufail, consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK, said, “The use of Lucentis in the treatment of myopic CNV will significantly change how this condition is treated. Until now, this has been an area where there is high unmet medical need. At best we have only been able to stabilise vision and prevent further vision loss in people with myopic CNV with current licensed treatments.

“Lucentis is the first anti-VEGF therapy licensed for this condition and, as the clinical trials have shown, it can restore vision rapidly in some patients with just a few injections.”