Comparative Review of Ranibizumab versus Bevacizumab in the Treatment of Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual loss in the developed World in patients over age 55. Therapeutic advances in the dry (non-exudative) form of AMD have been very modest with a protective role demonstrated for supplemental anti-oxidant vitamin therapy in patients showing high risk characteristics for future progression. In contrast, a major advance in the treatment of the wet (exudative) form of AMD occurred with the introduction of anti-angiogenic molecules targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)—specifically, ranibizumab (Lucentis) and bevacizumab (Avastin). A review of the therapeutic effect of these drugs in wet AMD is presented with a comparison of their results.