ocular surface & dry eye
Less frequent dosing for wet AMD

Bevacizumab might be able to be taken less often than ranibizumab for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because in a recent study, researchers found that bevacizumab appears to take longer to achieve the minimum macular volume and its effects takes longer to wear off.
In a study of how the two drugs— bevacizumab (Avastin) and ranibizumab (Lucentis, both of Genentech, San Francisco)—compared in the treatment of wet AMD, Lucian V. Del Priore, M.D., Ph.D., clinical professor, Columbia University, New York, and his colleagues used sequential macular volume and central foveal point thickness (CFPT) measurements on optical coherence tomography (OCT) to determine the drugs’ efficacy and duration. Their results are published in the May issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
For the study, Dr. Del Priore used a retrospective chart review of patients who received their first treatment of intravitreal ranibizumab or bevacizumab for exudative AMD. He identified 316 patients (202 ranibizumab; 114 bevacizumab) who received 823 injections (313 ranibizumab; 510 bevacizumab), and 74 patients had pre and post-treatment OCTs performed to determine CFPT and macular volume changes.
Dr. Del Priore said ranibizumab caused a significant reduction in CFPT (278 ± 84 before treatment vs. 227 ± 80 microns after treatment; P=0.001) and macular volume (7.22 ± 0.96 vs. 6.69 ± 0.74 mm³; P=0.002). Intravitreal bevacizumab caused a similar reduction in CFPT (288 ± 94 vs. 220 ± 55 microns; P=0.008) and macular volume (7.36 ± 1.08 vs. 6.50 ± 0.42 mm³; P<0.001).
The average duration of action was 74.0 ± 19.1 days for ranibizumab compared to 101.8 ± 16.6 days for bevacizumab (P=0.036; t-test). The ratio of the relative duration of action of bevacizumab versus ranibizumab was 1.40 ± 0.19.
Dr. Del Priore concluded that both drugs are equally effective at reducing CFPT or macular volume, but given that bevacizumab took longer to achieve the minimum macular volume and lasted longer, it appears that the patient does not need to take the drug as often.

Reported by: EyeWorld News Services