Medicine may be getting another step closer to beating the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Twelve-month analysis of 24-month Phase III clinical studies showed that verteporfin (Visudyne) therapy preserves vision in a significant number of AMD patients, according to QLT Phototherapeutics Inc., and CIBA Vision. Verteporfin is part of an emerging technology known as photodynamic therapy that’s being codeveloped by the two companies.

Choroidal neovascular growth beneath the centralmacula.

Hypofluorescence in central macula, indicating closure of neovascular complex.

Patients treated with verteporfin in the trials were found to be more likely to have stable vision (defined as a loss of less than 3 lines of vision on a standard eye chart) or improved vision compared to placebo-treated controls. Based on these results, QLT and CIBA Vision anticipate filing for regulatory approval of Visudyne therapy in the United States, Canada and Europe in 1999. For further information, visit the Web site at www.visudyne.com or call the patient/practitioner hotline at 1-800-821-2540 in the United States.