Encouraging results in wet age-related macular degeneration study

Novadaq Technologies has announced that Dr. Giovanni Staurenghi, (Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Department of Otorhinolaryngological and Ophthalmological Science University of Milan, Italy), reported preliminary data on 24-patients in an on-going study using the Company's proprietary technology to treat wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

The data were presented on Thursday, February 24th, 2005 at the 28th Annual Macula Society Meeting held in Key Biscayne, Florida.

"Having previously treated hundreds of patients with Feeder Vessel Therapy (FVT), the Novadaq ICG system definitely represents a major step forward in the evolution of FVT for AMD," said Dr. Giovanni Staurenghi. "The ICG fluorescence made the feeder vessels highly and easily detectable during treatment, in real time, allowing for easy closure of them."

Dr. Staurenghi reported on 24 patients that had been treated at the time of the abstract deadline, 12 who were treated with the Company's state-of-the- art imaging and laser device alone, and the other 12 with the same device using indocyanine green (ICG), a florescent imaging agent, to enhance FV photocoagulation during the FVT procedure. All patients were treated at one centre outside of Milan, Italy. The study reported 3 preliminary conclusions: 1) FVT with ICG produced a higher rate of closure than without, 83% versus 64%; 2) FVT with ICG requires application of fewer laser treatment spots than without ICG (3 to 9 vs. 100 to 300); and 3) the confirmation of feeder vessel closure at the end of the procedure is indicated by temporary incarceration of dye immediately after treatment.

Publications in peer-reviewed journals have demonstrated that FVT is a clinically relevant and efficacious method of treatment for wet AMD. Thirty (30) patients have now been treated in Novadaq's clinical study and the visual acuity data obtained on patients at the 6 month follow-up visit is better than that which has been reported at the same follow-up interval for other AMD products currently on the market.

Affecting more than 15 million Americans, AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people 50 years of age or older. There are 2 types of AMD, wet and dry. Wet AMD accounts for approximately 10 % of all AMD cases, yet is causes approximately 90 % of blindness associated with AMD. Wet AMD occurs when the central part of the retina, located at the back of the eye, is damaged. The damage is caused by blood vessel growth in the layer of the vascular system immediately behind the retina, called the choroid. These new vessels leak fluid, causing the normally-flat retina to become distorted; the vessels also can penetrate into the space directly beneath the retina, causing it to become detached. When the center of the retina, called the fovea, becomes damaged, vision loss can be severe. The fovea is responsible for detailed vision, used for activities such as reading and recognizing faces.