Cleveland Clinic Physician Leads Landmark Medicine Study

Daniel Martin, MD, Chairman of the Cole Eye Institute, led a groundbreaking comparative effectiveness trial that shows bevacizumab (Avastin) is as effective as ranibizumab (Lucentis), the current Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

One dose of ranibizumab costs approximately $2,000, while bevacizumab costs about $50 per dose. Both drugs are manufactured by Genentech.

The trial found visual acuity improvement was virtually identical (within one letter difference on an eye chart) for either drug when given monthly.  In addition, no difference was found in the percentage of patients who had an important gain or loss in visual function.

To read the full press release, click here.