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Avastin in Opthamology

Bevacizumab (Avastin) is approved by the FDA to treat certain cancers but has been used off-label by ophthalmologists to treat eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration. While not FDA-approved for eye use, injections of Avastin into the eye have not shown significant toxicity. Another drug, Lucentis, is approved for eye conditions but is much more expensive. In January 2016, 15 patients in India reported eye swelling and pain after Avastin use, prompting an investigation. Later, the alert about Avastin was withdrawn based on expert recommendations.

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Anil Kumar
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89 views3 pages

Avastin in Opthamology

Bevacizumab (Avastin) is approved by the FDA to treat certain cancers but has been used off-label by ophthalmologists to treat eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration. While not FDA-approved for eye use, injections of Avastin into the eye have not shown significant toxicity. Another drug, Lucentis, is approved for eye conditions but is much more expensive. In January 2016, 15 patients in India reported eye swelling and pain after Avastin use, prompting an investigation. Later, the alert about Avastin was withdrawn based on expert recommendations.

Uploaded by

Anil Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Note on off-label use of Avastin

Bevacizumab, sold under the trade name Avastin, is a recombinant humanized monoclonal
antibody that blocks angiogenesis by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A).
Bevacizumab was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for certain
metastatic cancers only.

Bevacizumab has recently been used by ophthalmologists in an off-label use as an


intravitreal agent in the treatment of proliferative (neovascular) eye diseases, particularly for
choroidal neovascular membrane (CNV) in AMD. Although not currently approved by the FDA
for such use, the injection of 1.25-2.5 mg of bevacizumab into the vitreous cavity has been
performed without significant intraocular toxicity. Many retina specialists have noted impressive
results in the setting of CNV, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, neovascular glaucoma, diabetic
macular edema, retinopathy.
Apart from Avastin, drug named Lucentis (Ranibizumab) is available in the market which is
officially approved by FDA for ophthalmic use, but it is nearly 50 times more costlier than Avastin
and this is the driving force promoting use of Avastin in Opthamology.
Bevacizumab was being used as off-label treatment in ophthalmology since year 2005
across the world.
In the month of January-2016, in C.H. Nagri Municipal Eye Hospital in Ahmedabad city, 15
patients underwent surgery last week and reported swelling and pain in their eyes following
usage of Avastin. Following this incidence on 21-01-2016, DCG(I) issued direction to stop the
usage of this drug in ophthalmology and constituted an expert committee to examine the case.
Based on the recommendations of this expert committee and representations of the All India
Ophthalmology Society, on 11.03.2016 DCG(I) has withdrawn the alert notice issued by him on
21-01-2016.
The manufacturer of the Avastin (M/s Roche) has several times stated that they are not
promoting the use of Avastin in Ophthalmology in light of this incidence.

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