Inpharma 1275 - 17 Feb 2001

Verteporfin sets its sights on newdisorders

Long-term results of 2 multicentre trials involvingpatients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)with occult choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) andCNV associated with pathological myopia confirm thebenefits of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin inthese disorders.

In the Verteporfin In Photodynamic therapy trial, 339patients with wet AMD, approximately 75% of whomhad occult CNV without classic components, wererandomised to receive verteporfin [‘Visudyne’]photodynamic therapy or placebo.

After 24 months’ follow-up, significantly moreverteporfin, compared with placebo, recipients hadavoided moderate vision loss (46 vs 33% of patients) orsevere vision loss (70 vs 53%).*

Similarly, among the subgroup of patients with occultCNV, significantly more verteporfin, compared withplacebo, recipients had avoided moderate vision loss(45 vs 31% of patients) or severe vision loss (71 vs 53%).

Vision gain in pathological myopiaThe second trial involved 120 patients with CNV due

to pathological myopia who were randomised to receiveverteporfin photodynamic therapy or placebo.

At 12 months’ follow-up, the absolute between-groupdifference (19%) in the proportion of patients who hadavoided moderate vision loss significantly favouredverteporfin recipients. This between-group differencewas no longer significant at 24 months’ follow-up (7%),although it still favoured verteporfin recipients.However, at 24 months, significantly more verteporfin,compared with placebo, recipients had gained ≥ 1 line ofvision (40 vs 13%) or gained ≥ 3 lines of vision (12 vs0%).* Moderate vision loss was defined as losing ≥ 3 lines of vision or 15letters on a standard eye chart and severe vision loss was defined aslosing ≥ 6 lines of vision or 30 letters.

Novartis. Visudyne (TM) clinical results announced for occult AMD andpathologic myopia patients. Media Release : [3 pages], 8 Feb 2001. Availablefrom: URL: http://www.novartis.com 800852527

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Inpharma 17 Feb 2001 No. 12751173-8324/10/1275-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved