NCT01162746

Comparison of Ranibizumab Monotherapy and Ranibizumab Combination Therapies in Recurrent or Persistent Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration

Comparison of Intravitreal Dexamethasone With Intravitreal Ranibizumab Versus Intravitreal Ranibizumab Monotherapy in Recurrent or Persistent Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration A Prospective, Randomized, Clinical Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (actual)
• Sponsor: Medical University of Vienna · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is by far the most common disorder in the group of irreversible causes of visual disability. AMD leads to dysfunction and loss of photoreceptors in the central retina. Neovascular AMD (nAMD) affects visual function early in the disease process and severely compromises the highly developed functions of the macula, such as perception of details, central fixation, color vision, and reading ability. AMD-related visual impairment is associated with a loss of autonomy and quality of life. Current therapeutic approaches target vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which has been identified as a main cytokine in the pathogenesis of nAMD. Ranibizumab, the fab-fragment of an antibody targeting VEGF is approved for the treatment of nAMD applied intravitreally in monthly intervals until the disease activity is stopped. However, a significant proportion of patients with nAMD suffer from persistent or recurring disease with the need of continuous anti-VEGF therapy over months and years, often leading to irreversible changes in the photoreceptor layer and the pigment epithelium. Recent studies regarding the treatment of nAMD utilized different forms of therapies, combining photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (PDT) and ranibizumab, as well as therapeutic regimen containing steroids. Even though these studies did not provide evidence that combination therapies are superior to ranibizumab monotherapy, studies were only conducted with patients with previously untreated nAMD. Therefore, currently there is no alternative therapeutic approach for patients with recurrent or persistent form of nAMD after multiple treatments with ranibizumab monotherapy. The purpose of this study is to assess the treatment effect of reduced fluence PDT and intravitreal ranibizumab versus intravitreal dexamethasone and ranibizumab versus intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy in patients with persistent or recurrent choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to AMD. The investigators hypothesis is that these findings will offer new insights in the management of persistent or recurrent CNV secondary to AMD.

Conditions

• Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• Neovascularization, Choroidal

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Intravitreal dexamethasone and intravitreal ranibizumab	Patients will receive intravitreal dexamethasone using a special drug delivery system and same day intravitreal ranibizumab. Study medications are initially given at the baseline visit. At each subsequent monthly follow-up visit, ranibizumab is administered if further visual decrease or persistence of sub-/intraretinal fluid is detected in the examination. At month 3, 6, 9 and 12 further treatments with intravitreal dexamethasone in combination with intravitreal ranibizumab are given if leakage is detected in fluorescein or indocyanine green (FLA or ICG) angiography, in case of further vision decrease or persistence of sub-/intraretinal fluid in OCT.
DRUG	Intravitreal ranibizumab	Patients will receive intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy (cohort 3). Study medications are initially given at the baseline visit. At each subsequent monthly follow-up visit, ranibizumab is administered if further visual deterioration or persistence of sub-/intraretinal fluid is detected in the examination

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-10-01
• Primary completion: 2015-06-01
• Completion: 2015-12-01
• First posted: 2010-07-15
• Last updated: 2017-05-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Austria