Ranibizumab and Bevacizumab for AMD

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 365; no. 23; p. 2237
• Main Authors: Cheung, C.M. Gemmy, Wong, Tien Y, Martin, Daniel F, Maguire, Maureen G, Fine, Stuart L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Massachusetts Medical Society 08-12-2011
• Subjects: Age; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Bevacizumab; Female; Humans; Macular degeneration; Macular Degeneration - drug therapy; Male; Monoclonal antibodies; United States > US; Asia; China; Europe
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1107895

To the Editor:
Bevacizumab is the predominant agent used for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) worldwide, and the study by the Comparison of AMD Treatments Trials (CATT) research group (May 19 issue)
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should have far-reaching influence on global practice patterns.
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However, considerable uncertainty is likely to remain in Asia, whose population was not addressed by CATT. The unfortunate truth remains that 80% of all new drugs are discovered in the United States and Europe, are tested in subjects of European descent, and are then administered to Asians on the presumption of similar therapeutic response.
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Increasing evidence suggests . . .