Genentech Drug Moves Forward

Genentech Drug Moves Forward

FAIRFIELD - Genentech announced positive one-year results for its second late-stage study for its drug Lucentis, which is intended to treat degenerative eye diseases.

The Phase III study showed patients treated with the drug had better vision than people who didn't receive treatment. Because patients were all suffering from a degenerative eye disease, those who didn't receive treatment actually had worse vision at the end of the study.
"Lucentis is the first investigational therapy that has shown improved vision, not just a slowing of vision loss, in patients with all types of wet (age-related macular degeneration)," said Peter Kaiser, director of the clinical research center at The Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, in a release.

Genentech operates a major manufacturing facility in Vacaville.