Switzerland approves Lucentis today!
Novartis Ophthalmics announced this morning that Switzerland
has become the first European country to approve Lucentis®
(ranibizumab) for the treatment of "wet" age-related
macular degeneration (AMD). According to Novartis, the Lucentis
treatment will be available from retinal specialists in Switzerland by
the middle of next month, September 2006.
The decision by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic) comes shortly after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Lucentis in June 2006. Treatment with Lucentis is now broadly available in the United States. Novartis has also submitted Lucentis for approval in the European Union and Australia. Although there are, of course, no guarantees, it is assumed that such approval could be expected in the first half of 2007.
For more AMD Alliance International information about Lucentis, click here.
Novartis and Genentech issued information about Lucentis is available at these links. Genentec and Novartis.
Please check back to our website regularly for updated news and information.
