Conditions: Diabetic Macular Edema
Keywords: DME
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 126
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This study is being done to see if the investigational drug Ranibizumab (RBZ) given by injection into the eye, is safe and effective to use in people with diabetic macular edema (DME). The investigators want to compare RBZ to laser treatment which is the current standard way to treat DME.

RBZ blocks a growth factor that is thought to be involved in the formation of abnormal blood vessels that cause loss of vision in patients with DME.

Detailed description:
The READ-2 Study is a phase 2 randomized, multi-center clinical trial to be conducted under an investigator-initiated investigational new drug (IND). The study aims to enroll 126 patients, who will be randomized into 3 different groups. The primary objectives of the READ-2 Study are: (a) to obtain data on the bioactivity and dose interval effects of intravitreal ranibizumab (RBZ) alone, as well as in combination with laser photocoagulation, on retinal thickness and visual acuity in subjects with DME; and (b) to obtain additional safety and bioactivity data to aid in the design of a phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate ranibizumab as a therapeutic option for patients with DME The study consists of a 2-week screening period (Days -14 to 0), a 6-month treatment period with a primary time endpoint, and a 18-month follow-up and treatment period with secondary time endpoints. Consented subjects will enter the 14-day screening period to determine eligibility. Serum chemistry and hematology testing, urinalysis, pregnancy testing, and macular thickness measurements based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) will be performed. Screening will also include VA, ophthalmic examination and fluorescein angiography (FA) entry criteria.

Patients who have ETDRS visual acuity of 20/40 or worse, but better than or equal to 20/320 due to foveal thickening from macular edema secondary to diabetes (type 1 or 2) and who meet eligibility criteria will be eligible to enroll in the study. Baseline foveal thickness by OCT must be at least 250, which is often associated with VA of 20/40 or worse and which provides sufficient thickening so that a treatment effect is easily detectable (Nguyen et al. 2004). Approximately 126 patients with DME will be enrolled in this study from all clinical sites in the study. Every effort will be made to recruit and enroll eligible patients from men and women of all ethnic and social backgrounds. Patients who meet entry criteria will be able to enroll in the study until the quota of patients has been achieved.

Arms:
arm 1: Ranibizumab (RBZ) intravitreal injection alone arm 2: Laser photocoagulation arm 3: Laser following intravitreal injection of RBZ

Interventions: intervention 1: Ranibizumab intervention 2: Laser photocoagulation
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Ranibizumab for intravitreal injection. .05ml dosing at 30 day intervals and pro re nata (PRN) with dosing criteria. intervention 2: Laser photocoagulation in either focal or grid pattern as determined by investigator.

Protocol document: