Purpose: The first anti-vascular endothelial grow th factor (VEGF) drug biosimilar for exudative age-related macular degeneration (eAMD) had been approved in Japan. We investigated the short-term outcomes of intravitreal ranibizumab biosimilar (IVRBS) in patients with eAMD.
Subjects and methods: We analyzed 19 eyes of 19 patients with treatment naïve eAMD who underwent IVRBS and 57 eyes of 57 patients with eAMD who switched the therapy from ranibizumab to IVRBS. In the patients with treatment naïve eAMD, we assessed logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity, central retinal thickness (CRT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), changes in CCT, and the number of treatments required to achieve dry macula. We examined changes in dosing intervals in the patients with eAMD who underwent therapy switching.
Results: In the patients with treatment naïve eAMD, logMAR was 0.43±0.34 at baseline and 0.40±0.32 at 3 months. CRT decreased significantly from 290.9±104.1 μm at baseline to 179.5±67.6 μm at 3 months. CCT was 197.9±107.2 μm at baseline to 181.8±99.1 μm at 3 months. Changes in CCT were 8.14% at 3 months. Dry macula was achieved in 15 eyes (78.9%) of 19 eyes treated with IVRBS within three administrations. In the patients who underwent therapy switching, dosing intervals were extended or maintained in 48 eyes (84.2%) of 57 eyes.
Conclusions: As with the existing anti-VEGF therapy, anatomical improvement was observed in patients with treatment naïve eAMD who underwent IVRBS. Furthermore, dosing intervals could be extended or maintained after switching to IVRBS. These findings suggest that IVRBS can reduce medical costs.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 128: 393-400, 2024.