An expensive new eyesight drug that may prevent blindness among elderly people may only be as good as a cheaper alternative, The New York Times reported.
July 11, 2006 (Press Release) --
An expensive new eyesight drug that may prevent blindness among elderly people may only be as good as a cheaper alternative, The New York Times reported.
On the up side, Lucentis, a drug made by Genentech to treat wet macular degeneration, is expected to win federal approval this week, the newspaper said. The down side is that the drug is also expected to cost 10 to 100 times more than a similar drug that some ophthalmologists say is every bit as good, the Times reported.
Wet macular degeneration is a form of bleeding behind the retina that can lead to blindness in older people.
The question is whether insurers will pay for Lucentis, with prices as high as $10,000 a year or more, compared with another drug, Avastin, that costs $1,000 a year or less. Avastin is already FDA approved, and in its off-label use works the same way as Lucentis, the Times said.
Avastin, also made by Genentech, is used intravenously to treat colon cancer. Off-label use of Avastin has shown good results for treatment of macular degeneration, but the company said it had no interest in getting Avastin approved for macular degeneration, because that would undermine Lucentis sales, the Times reported.
Source: http://health.msn.com/centers
On the up side, Lucentis, a drug made by Genentech to treat wet macular degeneration, is expected to win federal approval this week, the newspaper said. The down side is that the drug is also expected to cost 10 to 100 times more than a similar drug that some ophthalmologists say is every bit as good, the Times reported.
Wet macular degeneration is a form of bleeding behind the retina that can lead to blindness in older people.
The question is whether insurers will pay for Lucentis, with prices as high as $10,000 a year or more, compared with another drug, Avastin, that costs $1,000 a year or less. Avastin is already FDA approved, and in its off-label use works the same way as Lucentis, the Times said.
Avastin, also made by Genentech, is used intravenously to treat colon cancer. Off-label use of Avastin has shown good results for treatment of macular degeneration, but the company said it had no interest in getting Avastin approved for macular degeneration, because that would undermine Lucentis sales, the Times reported.
Source: http://health.msn.com/centers
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