Ranibizumab for DME shows visual acuity gains, retinal thickening reductions

WAILEA, Hawaii — Treatment of diabetic macular edema for 6 months with ranibizumab produced greater gains in visual acuity and greater reductions of excess retinal thickening than treatment with laser photocoagulation or a combination of ranibizumab plus laser, according to preliminary data analyses presented here.

Diana V. Do, MD, presented data at the American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting of the READ-2 study, a phase 2 randomized clinical trial initially involving 126 participants.

Patients taking Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech) had the greatest change in excess retinal thickness, a decrease of 57%, whereas patients treated with laser had the least change, a decrease of 11%. Similarly, visual acuity improved the most in patients on ranibizumab, with 24% of patients achieving a gain of three lines or more, compared with 11% in patients on combination therapy and 0% in patients treated with laser alone.

"We felt comfortable using ranibizumab since we conducted the READ-1 study, which did show a beneficial effect in improving retinal thickness and improving visual acuity," Dr. Do said.

Long-term follow-up is needed to determine whether benefits can be sustained, she said.