EU Board Backs Visudyne Therapy for Myopia

ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 19 -- The Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency has recommended that CIBA Vision Corp. receive authorization to market Visudyne (verteporfin) therapy for choroidal neovascularization in patients with pathologic myopia. CIBA Corp. is the eye care unit of Novartis AG and QLT Inc. The EU Commission will make its decision within the next few months
Visudyne is currently available for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration in 30 countries. If approved by the EU Commission, the therapy will be available throughout the EU Norway and Iceland, said CIBA.