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Cost-effectiveness of Eylea Monotherapy vs. Bevacizumab-first Strategy for Treating Diabetic Macular Edema | ASRS 2023
Research shows a $12,575 savings over two years and no difference in outcome, which result in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $873,000.
A cost-effectiveness comparison between monotherapy with Eylea for diabetic macular edema and starting off-label bevacizumab first and switching patients to Eylea if need be showed that the bevacizumab-first strategy was far more cost effective, according to results presented by Matthew W. MacCumber, M.D., Ph.D., today at the American Society of Retinal Specialists annual scientific meeting in Seattle.
But in an interview prior to the meeting, MacCumber said that the results should be applied with caution and should be extended to other retinal diseases.
“Diabetic macular edema is a forgiving disorder,” said MacCumber, of Illinois Retina Specialists and a professor and director of research for the Department of Ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Other conditions in the retina, for instance age-related macular degeneration, if you lose that benefit (of anti-VEGF treatment) early on, you may never get it back.”
Bevacizumab, sold under the brand-name Avastin, has been used off-label and repackaged by retinal specialists for many years.
It Flopped on Primary Endpoint, But Succeeded on Visual Acuity | ASRS 2023
July 31st 2023AXNOO7, an investigational agent for geographic atrophy, did not affect geographic atrophy lesions but showed positive effects of tests of visual acuity. A novel, neuroprotective mechanism of action may be why.
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When a Biosimilar Might Increase Not Decrease Costs | Ravi Parikh, M.D., M.P.H., ASRS 2023
July 30th 2023The approval of an ophthalmic bevacizumab biosimilar might mean the end of low-cost, repackaged Avastin as an anti-VEGF treatment for retinal diseases, with the unintended consequence of adding $457 million to Medicare B spending.
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Endophthalmitis After Anti-VEGF Injections: A Rare But Real Risk | ASRS 2023
July 30th 2023Researchers used the American Academy of Ophthalmology's IRIS database to quantify the risk of endophthalmitis — inflammation of intraocular fluids — after injections with anti-VEGF drugs. They found that post-injection endophthalmitis occurs, on average, once every 3,500 injections.
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Eylea Biosimilar Produces Favorable Results in a Switching Study | ASRS 2023
July 30th 2023Samsung Bioepsis' SB15 was comparable to Eylea (aflibercept) in a 56-week randomized clinical trial that included a rerandomization at 32 weeks. The rerandomization resulted in 111 study volunteers switching from Eylea to the biosimilar for the last part of the study.
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The Long and Short (Interval Switch) of the PULSAR Trial | ASRS 2023
July 29th 2023About 20% of patients in the trial of a high-dose, longer-interval regimen of Eylea (aflibercept )switched to shorter intervals, according to data presented today at the American Society of Retinal Specialists annual scientific meeting, which is being held in Seattle. Researchers didn't find any clues as to why in their baseline characteristics.
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