Posted on 07/14/2022 9:28:48 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Clinical trial results suggest that a specific step strategy, in which patients with diabetic macular edema start with a less expensive medicine and switch to a more expensive medicine if vision does not improve sufficiently, gives results similar to starting off with the higher-priced drug. The main complication of diabetic macular edema, fluid build-up in the retina that causes vision loss, is commonly treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs.
Results of the trial, which examined a stepped regimen of anti-VEFG drugs Avastin (bevacizumab) and Eylea (aflibercept), were published today.
"Our study showed that switching treatments when needed is a reasonable strategy," said Chirag Jhaveri, M.D.
If untreated, vision loss can become permanent and progress to blindness. Retinal injections of anti-VEGF drugs can restore vision. However, while Eylea is approved by the U.S. FDA to treat diabetic macular edema and results in better visual outcomes on average, off-label Avastin is much less expensive and is sometimes required by insurers as a first-line treatment.
The study enrolled 270 participants. Participants received either Avastin or Eylea injections every four weeks for 24 weeks. If eyes assigned Avastin failed to reach the pre-set improvement benchmarks starting at 12 weeks, the eye was switched to Eylea.
After two years, eyes in both groups had similar visual acuity outcomes, improving on average approximately three lines on an eye chart, compared to the trial's start. In the Avastin group, 70% of eyes switched to Eylea during the study.
"While most participants on Avastin eventually switched to Eylea, they still had improvement during those initial weeks, even if they didn't hit our pre-set benchmarks," said Adam Glassman.
"We've demonstrated here one method to managing a step treatment, where the outcomes are similar to the best existing treatment protocol with Eylea," said Jennifer Sun, M.D., M.P.H.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
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Eylea is an amazing drug. It’s saved my dads sight after he stopped responding to another injection. Lots of financial assistance from the manufacturer as well. Dad pays nothing as a retiree on Medicare with a supplement. All covered by Regeneron.
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