Update on Avastin® vs Lucentis®
I thought that Lucentis would be a little better than Avastin for treating wet AMD. I thought this because Lucentis is a smaller molecule and has a higher binding affinity for VEGF. I’ve used both drugs many, many times for wet AMD and I can’t really tell a difference between them. That’s why we need to do the Comparisons of AMD Treatments Trial (CATT) which will compare Avastin to Lucentis. With the latest worry that Lucentis may increase the risk of stroke, the CATT becomes doubly important. Now we not only want to find out if one of the drugs works better but also if one has a lower risk of side-effects.
I read recently that one expert on the treatment of AMD was quoted as saying that he thought that Lucentis lasted about long as Avastin. I disagree with this. I think that patients who need repeated injections will often start to develop fluid again at four weeks after a Lucentis injection. These patients won’t need repeated injections of Avastin however, for six or seven weeks. I think, on average, and there is a lot of variability among different patients, that Avastin last two weeks longer than Lucentis.
I read recently that one expert on the treatment of AMD was quoted as saying that he thought that Lucentis lasted about long as Avastin. I disagree with this. I think that patients who need repeated injections will often start to develop fluid again at four weeks after a Lucentis injection. These patients won’t need repeated injections of Avastin however, for six or seven weeks. I think, on average, and there is a lot of variability among different patients, that Avastin last two weeks longer than Lucentis.
posted by James C. Folk, M.D. at 12:11 PM
3 Comments:
Dr. Folk,
At the start of the Lucentis trials and toward the end of those trials. The hope and information being sent out, was, that it wold take approximately 3-5 injections with in a year to dry an eye out. However it appears that in many cases their is a need for 12-24 injections.
To me that is quite a significant difference in number.
It relays to me that Lucentis is not doing what it was hoped to do.
Your saying here that there seems to be less injections over a years period with Avastin. I would suggest that the optho community ban together to have Avastin pushed for FDA approval, In the mean time,the offer of Avastin should continue to be given to patients who desire it as an alternative. In addition,Perhaps RS docs should cut down on their use of Lucentis and hit genentech were it hurts~ their pocketbook. When the cash flo decreases, the interest of an official study between Avastin and Lucentis might surface.
Mar.
I am totally confused now. I have received three injections of Lucentis but first two Visudyne treatments. I have a center of my vision missing from the second Visudyne which I would not recommend. The Lucentis has seemed to stop the advancement totally of my myopic degeneration. I go back to my Doctor this month but I am not sure what to ask for now with the stroke risks at age 54.
I have had the exact treatment and result as anonymous. I had two visudyne - the second left a hole in my visionl I had three Lucentis with good results for six months. Vision started to get wavy again and I had a fourth Lucentis this week. I am just 55 but owrried aboout stroke. During injection my blood pressure shot up and my pulse was high and I turned hot pink?"
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