Angeles Vision Clinic

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LUCENTIS

A NEW TREATMENT FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION

This VEGF antibody is on the final phase of clinical trials and may receive FDA approval in 2006. One year results from two studies on Lucentis were very encouraging. The substance is a modified version of the drug Avastin, which is used to treat colorectal cancer. It also is injected directly into the eye every four weeks.

In mid-July 2005, Genentech officials reported that Lucentis potentially could improve vision in a significant number of macular degeneration patients who already have experienced vision loss from the "wet" form of the disease.

This data is very compelling because, for the first time, there is a potential treatment which has been shown to improve vision in a significant number of patients with wet AMD as opposed to just slowing progression of vision loss.

Preliminary Data From Phase III Trial Show Lucentis Is the First Investigational Therapy to Demonstrate Clinical Benefit Over Visudyne In a Head-to-Head Study Of Patients With Wet AMD