Roche's macular degeneration treatment receives EU recommendation

24. Jul 2026

(AWP Alliance News) - Roche Holding AG on Friday said its Susvimo neovascular age-related macular degeneration treatment has received a recommendation by the European Union's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

Roche, the Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company, said the CHMP based its recommendation on positive results from the LADDER, Archway and Portal studies, which demonstrated that Susvimo maintained vision outcomes equivalent to monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections.

Archway data demonstrated that patients treated with Susvimo achieved and maintained vision outcomes equivalent to monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections, while longer-term Portal data demonstrated vision maintenance for up to seven years.

"A final decision is expected from the European Commission in the near future," said Roche.

"The positive CHMP recommendation for Susvimo brings us closer to offering a new treatment option for people in Europe who currently face the burden of frequent eye injections," commented Levi Garraway, Roche's chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development.

The company noted that the neovascular age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60, affecting 1.7 million people across the EU.

"By requiring only two refills per year, Contivue with Susvimo offers a continuous drug delivery approach intended to reduce the frequency of clinic visits, with data from clinical trials supporting maintenance of vision up to seven years," added Garraway.

Shares in Roche closed up 1.6% at CHF355.10 each in Zurich on Friday.

By John Robaina, Alliance News reporter

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