New implant continuously delivers a new formulation of Lucentis' active ingredient, ranibizumab for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

Patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have blurred vision and difficulty reading, driving and doing other activities for which straight-on vision is needed. In dry macular degeneration, the center of the retina deteriorates, while wet macular degeneration involves the growth of leaky blood vessels under the retina.

Current treatments for wet AMD involve require monthly eye injections, which are at best inconvenient for patients. Genentech is developing a refillable eye implant designed to continuously deliver a new formulation of the once-monthly injectable the anti-VEGF therapy Lucentis (ranibizumab).

The company – and patients – recently received good news regarding results of the phase 2 trial underway with the new Port Delivery System, which is slightly longer than a grain of rice and surgically implanted. Patients in the high-dose implant group had vision improvement (gains in visual acuity and reductions in central retina thickness) similar to those observed for patients on the monthly Lucentis treatment regimen. Notably, most of the patients went six months or longer before needing a refill, which is completed in a doctor’s office using a customized needle.

Genentech plans to launch its phase 3 development program before the end of 2018.