Combined Therapy Appears Superior in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

Adrian H. Koh, MD, reported on the 12-month data from the EVEREST II trial at Retina Subspecialty Day on Friday. The results show that ranibizumab in combination with verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) appears superior to ranibizumab monotherapy in patients with symptomatic macular polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

EVEREST II is an ongoing 24-month phase 4 randomized, double-masked, multicenter study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ranibizumab monotherapy or ranibizumab in combination with vPDT in patients with symptomatic macular PCV.

Overall, ranibizumab therapy yielded good visual outcomes in PCV patients, with many patients seeing 20/40 or better. Combining vPDT with ranibizumab resulted in additional visual improvement and complete resolution of lesions with fewer ranibizumab injections than with ranibizumab monotherapy.

The mean number of injections in the combined therapy group was 5.2 (median 4.0) compared with 7.3 (median 7.0) in the monotherapy group.

The safety profile was consistent with the established safety profile of ranibizumab and vPDT.— Susanne Medeiros.

Financial disclosures. Dr. Koh: Alcon Laboratories, Inc.: C; Allergan: C,L; Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals: L,C; Carl Zeiss Meditec: C,L; Heidelberg Engineering: C,L; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: C,L; Santen, Inc.: C; Topcon Medical Systems Inc.: C,L.

Disclosure key. C = Consultant/Advisor; E = Employee; L = Speakers bureau; O = Equity owner; P = Patents/Royalty; S = Grant support.