This trial will compare the results of 2 cohorts, with different treatment intervals, to assess the safety, tolerability and efficacy of IVT of ranibizumab for the treatment of wet AMD. Specifically, this trial will evaluate the ability to reduce the amount of visits and IVT ranibizumab treatments needed all while maintaining an exudation-free macula. Subjects in both cohorts will be followed for a total of 156 weeks.
Cohort A (control arm, monthly, n=20) Subjects will receive monthly treatment of IVT 0.5 mg ranibizumab from Day 0 to week 100. Monthly treatment is defined as every 28 days (±7 days). Dosing should not occur earlier than 21 days after the previous treatment.
Week 104 - Week 156 Starting at week 104 subjects will be seen monthly and treated with IVT ranibizumab pro re nata (PRN) based on pre-defined re-treatment criteria.
Retreatment criteria for PRN phase
Re-treatment will be initiated if any of the following criteria are meet:
* Presence of any abnormal intraretinal or subretinal fluid on high resolution SD-OCT.
* Presence of new intraretinal or subretinal hemorrhage related to AMD on examination.
* 10 letter loss from previous visit, related to active wet AMD in the opinion of the treating investigator
Cohort B (comparator arm, TREX, n=40) Subjects will receive a minimum of 3 consecutive IVT 0.5 mg ranibizumab (visits 2, 4 and 5). Starting at week 8, if a subject has achieved a "dry" macula; signs of active exudation have resolved by both ophthalmic exam and SD-OCT evaluation they will begin a Treat and Extend protocol.
For a macula to be considered "dry" it must meet both the following criteria:
1. Resolution of intraretinal and subretinal fluid
2. Resolution of all subretinal hemorrhage related to active exudative AMD
Resolution of pigment epithelial detachments (PED) is not required for a macula to be considered "dry". Small intraretinal cystic areas observed on SD-OCT are acceptable and the corresponding macula can be considered dry. The criteria for these are specific; see reference images (Appendix D) for examples of acceptable intraretinal cystic spaces. When cysts described in Appendix D are present the macula should be considered dry and should be notated on the SD-OCT interpretation. Also, minimal increased retinal thickening on SD-OCT without definitive intraretinal or subretinal exudative fluid can be observed and the corresponding macula will be considered dry.
Once a "dry" macula is achieved the interval between visits is then lengthened by 2-week increments, at every visit the macula is "dry". IVT ranibizumab will be rendered at every visit, no earlier than 7 days before the target date and no later than 7 days after the target date; the interval between visits is individualized based on each patient's response to treatment. The interval between injections will not exceed 12 weeks
After a subject is extended beyond 4-weeks and develops recurrent exudative disease activity, the eye is treated and the treatment interval for the next visit is reduced by 2 weeks, compared to the previous treatment interval. The interval between treatments will be reduced by 2-week intervals until a dry macula is again established. Once a dry macula is again achieved, the interval between visits will be extended by 1-week intervals, instead of 2-week intervals.
For example: If recurrent exudative disease activity is detected after an 8-week interval, the eye is treated and the interval for the next visit is reduced to 6 weeks; if the macula is then dry after the 6-week interval, the interval is increased to 7 weeks. If the macula is then dry after the 7-week interval, the interval is increased to 8 weeks, etc.
Once an eye is extended by 1-week intervals, if recurrent exudative disease is detected again, the treatment interval for the next visit is reduced by 1 week, compared to the previous treatment interval, and will continue to be decreased by 1-week intervals until dry or the 4-week interval is reached. Once a dry macula is again established, the most recent interval between treatments is maintained for one additional visit; if the macula remains dry at this time, the interval will then be extended by 1-week increments.
If an eye exhibits recurrent exudative disease activity 3 times at a given interval and is unable to extend beyond that interval, the eye will continue treatment at the next shorter interval for 3 consecutive visits. After these 3 visits, the interval between visits will again be extended by 1-week intervals, while the macula remains "dry". If the eye exhibits recurrent exudative disease activity, the interval will be decreased by 1-week intervals until the macula is again "dry." The eye will then continue treatment at this interval for 3 consecutive visits before extending by 1-week again. This pattern of repeating 3 visits at the same "dry" interval will be repeated each time after the eye becomes "wet" before again attempting another 1-week extension.
Evidence of recurrent exudative activity
Clinical evidence of recurrent exudative disease activity requiring reducing the interval between treatments includes any of the following:
1. Evidence of subretinal or intraretinal fluid on SD-OCT which is not classified as small intraretinal cystic areas unrelated to active exudative AMD (Appendix D) or minimal increased retinal thickening by SD-OCT without definitive intraretinal or subretinal fluid
2. New macular hemorrhage related to active exudative AMD.
3. ETDRS VA loss of 5 letters from the previous measurement due to neovascular AMD disease process with corresponding SD-OCT evidence of fluid in the macula.
4. Increase in CRT of 50 microns due to active exudative AMD.
The isolated presence of a PED, or enlargement of a PED, does not constitute evidence of exudative disease activity.
If an eye has an ETDRS VA decrease of ≥ 4 lines (20 letters) or a subretinal macular hemorrhage of 1DD or larger, at any point during the trial, the subject will subsequently be treated with ranibizumab every 4 weeks.
Week 104 - Week 156 Starting at Week 104 subjects who have achieved a "dry" macula, at the 12 week interval will be seen monthly and treated pro re nata (PRN) based on pre-defined re-treatment criteria. Study visits should be scheduled to occur every 28 (±7) days relative to the date of week 104 visit.
Retreatment criteria for PRN phase
Re-treatment will be initiated if any of the following criteria are met:
* Presence of any abnormal intraretinal or subretinal fluid on high resolution SD- OCT.
* Presence of new intraretinal or subretinal hemorrhage related to AMD on examination.
* 10 letter loss from previous visit, related to active wet AMD in the opinion of the treating investigator
Starting at Week 104, subjects who have NOT achieved extension to the 12-week treatment interval will continue with the treat and extend protocol. At any time during weeks 104 to 156 if a subject achieves a "dry" macula, at the 12-week interval, they will immediately begin monthly PRN treatment based on pre-defined re-treatment criteria. Study visits should be scheduled to occur every 28 (±7) days, relative to the date the 12-week interval is achieved. Subjects will not be treated at the visit they achieve the 12 week interval (this is the date PRN treatment will begin).
