Novartis presents positive data on ranibizumab

Novartis has presented new clinical trial data which demonstrates the advantages of its new diabetic macular edema (DME) drug ranibizumab.

The pharmaceutical company has conducted a phase III study which evaluated the performance of its drug as an adjunct to laser treatment, the current standard of care for the serious diabetes-related eye condition.

It was found that patients using ranibizumab were able to achieve improved vision when compared to laser treatment alone, while no new safety issues were brought to light by the trial.

Dr Trevor Mundel, global head of development at Novartis, said: “These results confirm that it could provide an important new therapeutic option for visually impaired patients with DME.”

He added that the firm is now looking to evaluate ranibizumab as a treatment for other ophthalmic diseases.

Last week, Novartis also published trial data for its drug Onbrez Breezhaler, demonstrating its effectiveness as a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.