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PDT combined with Avastin can reduce number of treatments needed
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NAPLES, Fla. — Combining photodynamic therapy with bevacizumab can reduce the number of treatments needed to prevent progression of age-related macular degeneration, according to a surgeon speaking here.
David M. Misch, MD, presented the results of a study evaluating the combined therapy at the Florida Society of Ophthalmology annual meeting.
"It looks like a combination of Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech) and PDT does appear to increase the effectiveness [compared to] PDT alone," he said.
The study included two groups of patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to exudative AMD. A primary treatment group included 47 patients, average age 81 years, who had had no previous AMD treatment. A second group — the rescue group — included 31 patients, average age 79 years, who had received previous treatment for AMD.
All patients underwent treatment with 1.25 mg per 0.05 cc of Avastin 1 to 2 weeks before receiving PDT, Dr. Misch said.
The researchers had predicted a need for a total of 151 repeat treatments for patients in the primary treatment group and 104 re-treatments in the rescue group. However, surgeons performed only 19 re-treatments in the primary treatment group, or 12.5% of the estimated number. Additionally, 52% of patients in this group maintained their baseline visual acuity, and 36% gained two or more lines of visual acuity.
Patients in the rescue group required only 15 retreatments, or 14.48% of the initial estimate. Also, 51% of patients in this group maintained their baseline visual acuity, and 31% gained two or more lines.
"If we combine both groups, ... only 30% of patients required a second treatment with this combined therapy," Dr. Misch said.