New data with Lucentis (ranibizumab) show that continued treatment achieves sustained benefits in visual acuity and quality of life in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) out to two years, according to latest results from a study reported during the recent European Society of Ophthalmology annual meeting (9-12 June 2007; Vienna, Austria).
The ANCHOR (Anti-VEGF Antibody for the Treatment of Predominantly Classic Choroidal Neovascularization in Age-Related Macular Degeneration) study randomised patients with predominantly classic neovascular age-related macular degeneration in a 1:1:1 ratio to monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (0.3 mg or 0.5 mg) plus sham verteporfin therapy or monthly sham injections plus active verteporfin therapy (photodynamic therapy, PDT; the current standard of care).
Results showed that 89.9% of patient randomised to Lucentis lost fewer than 15 letters on a visual acuity chart at 24 months compared to 65.7% of those treated with PDT (p