Medscape Alerts : Lucentis Linked to Stroke Risk in Elderly
January 30, 2007 — Genentech, Inc, has warned healthcare professionals regarding the potential increased risk for stroke associated with use of ranibizumab (Lucentis) in the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration in elderly patients.
The warning was based on interim data from an ongoing safety study (SAILOR) showing that the risk for stroke was significantly higher in patients receiving the recommended dose of ranibizumab (0.5 mg) compared with a 0.3 mg dose (1.2% vs 0.3%; P = .02) at an average follow-up of 230 days. Patients with a history of stroke appeared to be at increased risk for subsequent stroke, the company said.