Up to 40,000 people could be set to
benefit after NICE today (Thursday, 31 October) published
guidance recommending a new treatment option for an eye condition
which can cause partial loss of
sight.
Bevacizumab gamma, also known as
Lytenava and made by Outlook Therapeutics, is recommended in
final draft guidance to treat adults with neovascular (wet)
age-related macular degeneration
(nAMD).
The ‘wet' form of age-related macular
degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease that affects the
central part of the retina at the back of the eye. It is caused
by the abnormal growth of blood vessels beneath the retina which
may leak fluid and blood and cause
swelling.
The treatment, which is given as an
injection and can usually be taken monthly, works by attaching to
a protein that circulates in the blood and slowing down blood
vessel growth in the eye, reducing fluid leakage and
swelling.
AMD is a common cause of vision loss
in people aged over 50 and is associated with the loss of central
vision and visual distortion. Initial symptoms can include
blurred or distorted central vision. There are an estimated
40,000 new cases of wet AMD in the UK each
year.
Bevacizumab gamma has been recommended
through the cost-comparison process, after it was found to have similar health benefits to
aflibercept and ranibizumab, two other treatments already
recommended by NICE for the same condition. It also has similar
costs to aflibercept and so could be recommended.
NHS England and integrated care boards
have agreed to provide funding to implement the guidance 30 days
after publication of final guidance.
Read the full final draft guidance for bevacizumab gamma for treating wet
age-related macular degeneration.
Notes to
editors
Bevacizumab gamma is recommended as an
option for treating wet age-related macular degeneration in
adults, only if:
-
the eye has a best-corrected visual
acuity between 6/12 and 6/96
-
there is no permanent
structural damage to the central fovea
-
the lesion size is
12 disc
areas or less in greatest
linear dimension
-
there are signs of recent
disease progression (for example, blood vessel growth as shown
by fluorescein angiography, or recent visual acuity
changes)
-
the company provides it
according to the commercial
arrangement.
