LumiThera Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the marketing of its Valeda Light Delivery System for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This marks the first FDA authorization for a treatment aimed at improving vision loss in dry AMD patients, a condition affecting a significant portion of the population over 55 and a leading cause of central vision loss.
The Valeda therapy demonstrated an improvement in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of more than 5 letters over 24 months, equivalent to gaining a line on an eye chart. The pivotal U.S. LIGHTSITE III trial met its primary endpoint, showcasing the safety and efficacy of Valeda in enhancing and maintaining improved visual acuity.
LIGHTSITE III Trial Details
The LIGHTSITE III trial, a key component of LumiThera's De Novo request to the FDA, provided the clinical data supporting the authorization. According to Lori Holder, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, LumiThera, Inc., this authorization establishes Valeda as the first device for treating dry AMD patients with vision loss and sets a benchmark for future photobiomodulation (PBM) devices in this class.
David Boyer, MD, Retina Vitreous Associates Medical Group, noted that the trial results demonstrated clinical benefits in early to intermediate dry AMD patients over 24 months, along with an excellent safety profile. He added, "Patients will now be able to try a non-invasive treatment that can help improve their vision earlier in the disease process. This is an exciting option for patients and something doctors and patients have been waiting for."
Impact on Geographic Atrophy
In addition to visual acuity gains, the LIGHTSITE III trial also tracked anatomical endpoints. Glenn Jaffe, MD, Duke Reading Center, highlighted that the PBM treatment showed a beneficial effect on multiple anatomic biomarkers. Notably, the progression to geographic atrophy was reduced in the PBM-treated eyes compared to the sham-treated eyes (6.8% versus 24%). While incident geographic atrophy was not a pre-specified clinical endpoint, these results suggest overall safety benefits when treating earlier in the course of dry AMD.
Addressing a Critical Unmet Need
Clark Tedford, Ph.D., President and CEO of LumiThera, emphasized the significance of this authorization, stating, "We now have a non-invasive treatment option for dry AMD patients that may improve vision and address the disease earlier, before permanent vision loss." He added that the FDA authorization provides a significant option for US patients with dry AMD.
About Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD is a primary cause of vision loss in individuals aged 65 and older, impairing central vision and affecting daily activities such as driving and reading. The prevalence of AMD increases with age, ranging from 4.2% in those aged 45–49 years to 27.2% in those aged 80–85 years. Globally, the prevalence is projected to increase by 20% between 2020 (195.6 million) and 2030 (243.3 million).
