Lucentis Approved for AMD

Genentech has received FDA approval of Lucentis for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The FDA approved Lucentis after a six-month Priority Review and will ship the product immediately.

The Phase III trials showed that 95% of patients treated with Lucentis maintained their vision and vision improved by at least three lines (or 15 letters) on the study eye chart in as many as 40% of these patients at one year. Lucentis is an injectable bio-drug designed to inhibit the formation and leakage of new blood vessels in the back of the eye, the primary cause of central vision loss associated with this disease.