Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the first cause of visual impairment in elderly
patients in industrialized countries. Neovascular or "wet" AMD, characterized by the presence
of choroïdal neovessels, represents the most aggressive form of the disease. Its prevalence
is 3.3% among patients older than 65 years in Europe, and increases with age.
Intraocular injections of anti-angiogenic monoclonal antibodies (ranibizumab) to treat AMD
have appeared recently. It is derived from a larger sized molecule, bevacizumab, which do not
have the market authorization for this indication. However, numerous publications of case
series seem to show the effectiveness and a satisfactory safety profile of bevacizumab.
These conclusions have to be confirmed with a high level of evidence study. The aim of the
GEFAL study is to demonstrate non-inferiority of effectiveness in clinical terms after 12
months of treatment with bevacizumab compared to ranibizumab on the visual acuity of patients
affected by neovascular AMD.