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Anti-VEGF therapy may offer promise for patients with pigment epithelium detachment secondary to AMD

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NEW YORK — Anti-VEGF injections may be beneficial for treatment of pigment epithelium detachment secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration, a population that previously has not been studied in clinical trials, according to a speaker here.

In 35 patients with pigment epithelium detachment secondary to AMD, Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech) therapy improved vision by six ETDRS letters or more in 20 patients and by 16 ETDRS letters or more in five patients. One patient lost six letters of vision in the study, according to Lawrence J. Singerman, MD.

"These eyes with AMD with various types of pigment epithelium detachment showed a highly significant, favorable response to ranibizumab injections," Dr. Singerman said during a presentation at Retina Congress 2009.

Patients received either four monthly injections followed by as-needed therapy (group A) or 12 monthly injections (group B). "The mean change in visual acuity was 7.8 letters in the overall group, 6.5 in group A and 9.1 in group B," Dr. Singerman said.

Mean change in central retinal subfield thickness (–55.6 µm) and pigment epithelium height (around 66%) was similar in both groups, according to Dr. Singerman.