Combination PDT, anti-VEG effective for choroidal neovascularization due to AMD

October 4, 2010
A customized combination of photodynamic therapy and intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration achieved good visual results with a decreased need for re-treatment, a study found.

"Combined customized PDT and ranibizumab treatment can achieve visual results similar to those obtained with intravitreal monotherapy with the advantage of fewer intravitreous injections and reduced potential for adverse effects," the study said.

In the nonrandomized, prospective, interventional study, 53 eyes of 53 patients with subfoveal and juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD were treated with PDT and intravitreal Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech).

At the end of the 12-month follow-up period, subjects' mean visual acuity had improved by 7.2 letters, and 78.8% maintained or improved their initial vision.

"The central retinal thickness and choroidal neovascularization size decreased to 118 µm and 0.26 disc areas, respectively, from baseline to 12 months," the study authors said.

Sixty-five PDT treatments (mean of 1.22 per patient) were performed, and 126 doses of ranibizumab were injected (mean of 2.37 per patient).

In 21 cases, only a single initial dose of PDT and ranibizumab was required.