Combination of Ranibizumab and Targeted Laser Photocoagulation (CoRaLaII)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04444492 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : June 23, 2020
Last Update Posted : May 11, 2022
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Central Retinal Vein Occlusion With Macular Edema | Drug: Ranibizumab Injection Device: Laser photocoagulation | Phase 3 |
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second most common retinal vascular disease leading to visual impairment. Main cause for visual impairment in CRVO (Central Retinal Vein Occlusion) is macular edema (ME) while neovascularization of the retina and/or the anterior segment is the most serious complication leading to vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment and neovascular glaucoma. In serious cases loss of vision is imminent. To date, no causal treatment has been proven to be effective in large trials. Intravitreal injections of drugs that inhibit the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and other inflammatory factors are the current treatments of choice for ME due to CRVO. Two different anti-VEGF drugs (ranibizumab and aflibercept), and a biodegradable dexamethasone implant are approved by the EMA (European Medicines Agency). Based on data from confirmatory studies anti-VEGF-drugs are recommended as a treatment of first choice in patients with RVO. All intravitreal drugs provide only a temporary effect with need for re-treatment for recurrences of ME. Mean number of ranibizumab application needed in CRVO patients was found to be 7.4 to 10.2 injections in 12 months. A significant number of CRVO patients require treatment over several years. Need for repetitive treatments and ophthalmic controls are a major burden for patients (and their relatives who are required for driving the patients to ophthalmologists) despite of only few adverse events and generally well-tolerated injections. Endophthalmitis is the most severe ocular complication which can be eye-sight-threatening. The more injections are administered, the higher is the cumulative risk of complications. Due to high costs (>1000 € per injection) treatment with repeated injections over years is of significant socio-economic importance, too. Therefore, treatments concepts which would lead to permanent reduction of ME and/or significantly reduce the number of re-injections over long-term periods are the major currently unmet need in patients with RVO.
Until now, several studies evaluated the impact of the additional pan-retinal laser photocoagulation in patients undergoing the anti-VEGF-treatment for the ME due to retinal vein occlusions. However, most of the studies are limited by retrospective design, small number of evaluated patients or lack of the randomization. None of the available prospective randomized studies had sufficient power to finally clarify the benefit of the additional laser treatment. Therefore, there is an unmet need for a large randomized, prospective, multicentric trials.
The proposed study will be the first sufficiently powered trial evaluating the long-term effect of targeted laser photocoagulation performed selectively (targeted) in peripheral areas of non-perfusion in combination with standard anti-VEGF treatment (ranibizumab injections) on the duration of the required intravitreal treatment over time period of 2 years.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 110 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Outcomes Assessor) |
Masking Description: | blinded BCVA assessor |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Long-term Need of Ranibizumab Injections With or Without Early Targeted Peripheral Laser Photocoagulation for Treatment of Macular Edema Due to Central Retinal Vein Occlusion |
Actual Study Start Date : | August 25, 2020 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | July 30, 2025 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | July 30, 2025 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Ranibizumab+Laser-arm
Ranibizumab injections and additional targeted laser
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Drug: Ranibizumab Injection
initial three injections of Ranibizumab - afterwards pro re nata monthly
Other Name: Lucentis Device: Laser photocoagulation Areas of capillary non-perfusion will be treated with photocoagulation upto 4 times |
Active Comparator: Ranibizumab-arm
Only Ranibizumab injections
|
Drug: Ranibizumab Injection
initial three injections of Ranibizumab - afterwards pro re nata monthly
Other Name: Lucentis |
- Efficacy endpoint is the time to treatment success [ Time Frame: up-to 29 months ]Time from randomisation until the date of last criteria-based intravitreal injection in case that thereafter a treatment-free period for (at least) 6 months was observed.
- Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) [ Time Frame: Month 29 ]Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in number of ETDRS letters (Early Treatment of Diabetes Retinopathy Study) per visit
- Central subfield thickness (CST) [ Time Frame: Month 29 ]Central subfield thickness (CST) measured by OCT per visit
- Number of ranibizumab injections [ Time Frame: Month 29 ]Number of ranibizumab injections required until treatment success and up to the end of Observation.
- Development of neovascularization(s) [ Time Frame: Month 24 ]Proportion of subjects developing neovascularization(s) of retina, optic disc, and/or in anterior segment over the total period of observation.
- The area of non-perfusion [ Time Frame: Month 24 ]The area of non-perfusion (assessed by FA) will be quantified as sum of all areas identified
- Vessel density [ Time Frame: Month 24 ]Assessed by OCT-angiography, will be quantified by a metric measure with the range [0;1]
- Potential visual field loss [ Time Frame: Month 4 and Month 24 ]The change between the two timepoints (Months 4 and 24) per arm will be used to characterize the both groups and be compared between treatment arms.
- The number of laser treatments and the laser spots given in the experimental group (RL-arm). [ Time Frame: Month 24 ]The number of visits with applied laser treatment and the laser spots applied in the experimental group (RL-arm) will be counted for descriptive reasons and be compared between treatment arms.
- Health-related quality of life (QoL): Visual Function Questionnaire VFQ25 [ Time Frame: Baseline, Month 12 and Month 24 ]Measured by the Visual Function Questionnaire VFQ25
- Areal of foveal avascular zone [ Time Frame: Month 24 ]Area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ, assessed by OCT-angiography, will be quantified in [mmm²])

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of macular edema due to central retinal vein occlusion foveal thickness > 250 μm (measured by OCT)
- Age > 18 years
- Written informed consent of the patient
- BCVA score in the study eye between 24 letters (20/320) and 78 letters (20/25) measured in ETDRS chart
- History of CRVO no longer than 6 months
- Presence of capillary non-perfusion in peripheral retina larger than 5 disc areas documented in ultra wide-field fluorescein angiography
- Ability and willingness to attend all scheduled visits and assessments
Exclusion Criteria:
- CRVO with ischemic maculopathy defined as diameter of the foveolar avascular zone larger than 2 optic disc diameters
- Macular edema due to another etiology than retinal vein occlusion (e.g. diabetic maculopathy, uveitis, age related macular degeneration, Irvine-Gass syndrome)
- History of idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy
- Presence of vitreoretinal interface disease (e.g. vitreomacular traction, epiretinal membrane), either on clinical examination or in OCT
- An eye that, in the investigator's opinion, would not benefit from resolution of macular edema, such as eyes with foveal atrophy, dense pigmentary changes, or dense subfoveal hard exudates
- Aphakia in the study eye
- Scatter laser photocoagulation or macular photocoagulation in the study eye prior to study entry
- Intraocular or periocular injection of steroids in the study eye prior to study entry
- Previous use of an anti-VEGF drug in the study eye
- Cataract surgery or any other intraocular surgery in the study eye within 3 months prior to study entry
- Uncontrolled glaucoma (defined as intraocular pressure ≥ 30 mm Hg despite treatment with maximal anti-glaucoma medications)
- History of stroke, myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attacks within 3 months prior to the study
- Pregnancy (positive urine pregnancy test) or lactation
- The presence of active malignancy, including lymphoproliferative disorders.
- History of allergy to fluorescein or any component of the ranibizumab formulation
- Active intraocular infection
- Participation in another simultaneous interventional medical investigation or trial
- Women with child bearing potency without effective contraception (i. e. implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some IUDs or vasectomised partner) during the conduct of the trial.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04444492
Contact: Matus Rehak, Professor | 0049 641 985 438 01 | matus.rehak@uk-gm.de | |
Contact: Yasmine Breitenstein | 0049 341 97 16 247 | yasmine.breitenstein@zks.uni-leipzig.de |
Germany | |
Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden Klinik und Polyklinik für Augenheilkunde | Not yet recruiting |
Dresden, Germany, 01307 | |
Contact: Dirk Sandner, Dr. | |
Internationale Innovative Ophthalmochirurgie GbR, Klinik für Augenchirurgie | Recruiting |
Düsseldorf, Germany | |
Contact: Hakan Kaymak, Dr. | |
Universitätsklinikum Klinik für Augenheilkunde Freiburg | Recruiting |
Freiburg, Germany, 79106 | |
Contact: Hansjürgen Agostini, Prof. | |
Universitätsklinikum Gießen, Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde | Recruiting |
Gießen, Germany | |
Contact: Matus Rehak, Prof. MUDr. | |
Hannover MHH Universitätsklinik für Augenheilkunde | Recruiting |
Hannover, Germany, 30625 | |
Contact: Amelie Pielen, PD. Dr. | |
University Hospital of Leipzig Department of Ophthalmology | Recruiting |
Leipzig, Germany, 04103 | |
Contact: Focke Ziemssen, Prof. Dr. | |
Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen Augenklinik | Recruiting |
Ludwigshafen, Germany, 67063 | |
Contact: Lars-Olof Hattenbach, Prof. | |
Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg GmbH, Standort Marburg Klinik für Augenheilkunde | Recruiting |
Marburg, Germany, 35043 | |
Contact: Walter Sekundo, Prof. | |
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Augenklinik | Recruiting |
München, Germany | |
Contact: Siegfried Prieglinger, Prof. Dr. | |
Augenzentrum am St. Franziskus-Hospital Münster | Recruiting |
Münster, Germany, 48145 | |
Contact: Georg Spital, Dr. | |
Universitätsklinikum Klinik für Augenheilkunde | Withdrawn |
Münster, Germany, 48149 | |
Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Department für Augenheilkunde | Recruiting |
Tübingen, Germany | |
Contact: Alexandra Schweig, Dr. | |
Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Klinik für Augenheilkunde | Recruiting |
Ulm, Germany | |
Contact: Armin Hilmar Wolf, Prof. Dr. | |
Augen-OP-Zentrum Zschopau, Praxis für Augenheilkunde | Recruiting |
Zschopau, Germany | |
Contact: Simo Murovski, Dr. |
Study Director: | Matus Rehak, Professor | Department of Ophthalmology Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen |
Responsible Party: | University of Giessen |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04444492 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
CoRaLaII |
First Posted: | June 23, 2020 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | May 11, 2022 |
Last Verified: | May 2022 |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
retinal vein occlusion |
Macular Edema Retinal Vein Occlusion Macular Degeneration Retinal Degeneration Retinal Diseases Eye Diseases Venous Thrombosis Thrombosis Embolism and Thrombosis |
Vascular Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases Ranibizumab Angiogenesis Inhibitors Angiogenesis Modulating Agents Growth Substances Physiological Effects of Drugs Growth Inhibitors Antineoplastic Agents |