New Drug Being Hailed Medical Breakthrough
Published: July 6, 2006
It’s being called a major medical breakthrough in the treatment of a common eye disease called Macular Degeneration. A new drug not only stops the disease, but restores vision in some patients.
“I started noticing things not straight, crooked or in a few instances – disappearing.”
Thomas Liddle of Kennesaw is describing classic symptoms of an eye condition known as Wet Macular Degeneration – the leading cause of legal blindness in people over 65.
Wet Macular Degeneration occurs when there’s abnormal growth of new blood vessels under the retina that leak.
“Unfortunately, it does take away central vision and that is the primary portion of our vision which allows us to read, drive and maintain our independence,” says Dr. Dan Martin.
In the last 7 years a number of medicines have been developed to treat Wet Macular Degeneration. Most of these just slowed down the rate of vision loss and did not prevent it.
But the results with a new medicine, called Lucentis, were so dramatic that it led to it being recently approved by the FDA.
“With Lucentis, after one year of intervitirol injections given every 4 weeks, the average patient gained vision,” says Dr. Martin.
Lucentis shuts down the formation of the abnormal leaking blood vessels under the retina.
How is it given?
“We place a very fine needle into the eye and then inject a small amount of the drug,” explains Dr. Martin.
There is tremendous excitement about Lucentis, but there is some controversy. Lucentis was developed from a similar compound named Avastin which starves cancers of their blood supply. Avastin has not been specifically approved to treat people with Wet Macular Degeneration, but it has shown to be effective and less expensive.
“There’s great interest in comparing the two head to head and my guess is that a study like that will take place,” says Dr. Martin.
But patients, like Thomas Liddle are grateful that Lucentis is available to treat Wet Macular Degeneration and helps to restore eyesight.
“I don’t know how I’d be able to cope if I completely lost my eyesight,” says Thomas Liddle.
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