Combined radiation, anti-VEGF therapy shows efficacy in wet AMD patients

NEW ORLEANS — A new beta radiation epiretinal therapy, in combination with bevacizumab injections, improved visual acuity in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration, a study here showed.

At the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, Jeffrey S. Heier, MD, presented 1-year results of an ongoing multicenter study evaluating the efficacy and safety of NeoVista's beta radiation epiretinal therapy for wet AMD when used in combination with Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech).

Twenty-seven patients with either predominantly classic, minimally classic or occult with no classic choroidal neovascularization received a single-treatment dose of 24-Gy beta radiation through vitrectomy and two injections of bevacizumab. One injection was administered at the time of radiation and the second was administered 1 month later.

Patients averaged 72 years of age and were treated between June 2006 and April 2007.

Visual acuity at baseline averaged 41 ETDRS letters. At 12 months follow-up, patients had improved by 13.1 letters. Additionally, 96% of patients lost less than 15 letters.

Overall, 15% of patients required additional bevacizumab injections, and 12% experienced adverse events, which included retinal tear, retinal detachment, subretinal hemorrhage and vitreous hemorrhage.

"The 1-year data provides important evidence that this novel concomitant treatment approach may provide more sustainable options for those suffering from this degenerative condition," said Dr. Heier.

"Additional on-going studies may well confirm the viability of this new therapeutic option for the elderly with wet AMD," he said.