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ARTICLE | Clinical News

Lucentis improves retinopathy in Phase III study

November 17, 2015 2:33 AM UTC

Lucentis ranibizumab from the Genentech Inc. unit of Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) improved visual acuity over standard of care in a Phase III study to treat proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The study, funded by NIH's National Eye Institute and conducted by the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network, compared Lucentis with a type of laser therapy called pan-retinal photocoagulation.

The primary endpoint of the 305-patient study was mean change in visual acuity from baseline to two years. NEI said that vision improved by "about half a line" after two years in patients receiving Lucentis, compared to "virtually no change" in patients receiving laser therapy. NEI did not respond to inquiries. ...