Both drugs are anti-VEGF drugs (vascular endothelial growth factor)...which means they block a factor produced by the body called VEGF. VEGF stimulates the growth and leakage of blood vessels...so these drugs block the growth and leakage from these blood vessels. Such abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage can occur in a variety of retinal conditions...such as "wet" macular degeneration, diabetes, vein occlusions and many other conditions.
Lucentis has been specifically engineered for use in the eye...and as such, has been extensively tested both for efficacy and for safety. Avastin, which is a much larger molecule...is actually a drug for metastatic colon cancer...it has however been discovered...in "off label" use...to also be effective for a number of these condtions.
A study...initiated by the National Eye Institute, in Bethesda, Maryland (the CATT trial) is currently underway...comparing the two drugs. We anticipate some early data from this study perhaps in 2010 or 2011.
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