Safety and Efficacy of Switching From Aflibercept to Ranibizumab in Patients With nAMD
Summary
AMD (Age Related Macular Degeneration) is the leading cause of severe visual loss and blindness registration in the UK . It is a disease which affects the retina (the nerve and blood vessel network at the back of the eye responsible for vision). Patients can suffer with severe visual loss and have difficulties with every day tasks such as recognising faces, reading \& driving. There are two variations of the disease, a 'dry' type \& a 'wet' type also known as neovascular AMD (nAMD). In wet/nAMD new vessels grow from the blood supply underneath the retina, in part due to higher than normal levels of a protein called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). Since the introduction of drugs which block VEGF, visual outcomes for patients with wAMD have dramatically improved. There are 2 widely used treatments; ranibizumab and aflibercept. Whilst the majority of patients have a successful outcome with treatment, many patients experience suboptimal response. This study evaluated if these patients experience a benefit from a switch to a different antiVEGF drug treatment. In this study nAMD patients who are showing no or poor to response to treatment with aflibercept were switched to ranibizumab to assess if there is any benefit in terms of treatment outcomes. Patients visited the hospital clinic 8 times over the 7 - 8 month study period. Monthly ranibizumab injections were given for the first 3 months, then monthly as required for the next 3 months.
Timeline
- Start
- 2014-08-28
- Primary completion
- 2017-09-14
- Completion
- 2017-09-14
Drugs
| Evaluation | Drug | Modality | Dose | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Ranibizumab | Monoclonal antibody | 0.5 mg | Intravitreal |