By: Antonio Chirumbolo SUNY Optometry 2013
It has been regarded for some time now that Avastin is as effective as Lucentis for treating AMD. Although not FDA approved to treat AMD, Avastin appears to provide similar benefits as Lucentis at a cheaper cost to the patient. As reported in the May 15, 2011 edition of Review of Optometry, supporting the equality of the two drugs are the recent results of the CATT (Comparison of AMD Treatment Trials) study, where improvement in visual acuity was nearly identical when using either drug on monthly basis.
The CATT study will continue to monitor patients for an additional year of treatment.
For students learning about Avastin and Lucentis, and how to utilize these drugs to manage patients with AMD, this is certainly exciting news. Preserving and improving the visual acuity in patients with this condition, while providing them with a more economical option, may just make Avastin the standard of care, which is why as students, it is vital to keep up with these clinical trials and case studies. Patients, who may benefit from a drug like Lucentis but cannot afford it, may now have another viable option in Avastin.
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