Advertise With UsAdvertise on our extensive network of industry websites and newsletters.
Get the PBR newsletterSign up to our free email to get all the latest PBR
news.Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada has received approval from Health Canada for Lucentis (ranibizumab) to treat visual impairment due to choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathologic myopia (myopic CNV).
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Myopic CNV (mCNV) develops in about 5%-10% of patients with pathologic myopia, which is a leading cause of blindness and second only to wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in causing CNV.
Lucentis is an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), one of the major elements in the formation of new and abnormal blood vessels beneath the retina which cause vision loss associated with both mCNV6 and the more prevalent condition of wet AMD.
Abnormal blood vessels formed beneath the retina can rupture, leak blood and fluid into the retina, causing vision loss.
St. Michael’s Hospital ophthalmologist-in-chief Dr David Wong said the thought of losing your vision can be devastating and the patients seen with this condition are generally young, healthy adults who are working and have a bright future before them.
"The approval of Lucentis for mCNV equips us as physicians because until now we were only able to slow down vision loss in these patients," Wong said.
"Improving vision in these patients allows them to continue working and get on with their busy lives."
The approval was based on Phase III trial, which showed that treatment with Lucentis was superior to the previous standard of care, Visudyne (verteporfin PDT).
The trial showed that Lucentis improved mean visual acuity by about 14 letters (on an eye chart) after one year.
Lucentis, administered by injection into the eye, is licensed in more than 40 countries to treat visual impairment due to mCNV.