Listen to these patients talk about their experience with SUSVIMO, from initial diagnosis to receiving the implant, and how their lives have changed since.
Real Patient Stories and Experiences with SUSVIMO®
Carol's story
Meet Carol, a patient with wet AMD who maintains her vision thanks to SUSVIMO. She can keep up with tennis and water aerobics without needing an eye injection every 4 weeks.
Read Carol's story
CAROL:
One morning, summer of 2018, I woke up, and I looked around, and everything wasn’t that clear.
And, so, I got up, went and washed my face, and put my eye drops in, and everything was still that way. My conscience said, “You're not seeing that well today.” And no matter what I did, the eye drops or anything, nothing was getting better.
There was a little bit of cloudiness, and so I went into the kitchen, and I’m going—I’m looking out my kitchen window, and I just—it’s—it’s just cloudy! I thought, “Something is wrong here. I don’t feel comfortable looking out.” I could not figure out why this was happening. And it just continued.
So, at that point, I decided that I needed to make a phone call and call my doctor.
My doctor ran a lot of tests, and after all the tests, he sat down next to me and he just looked at me and he said, “Carol, you have wet age-related macular degeneration.
I just sat there. I frankly just sat there. And he then went on to explain what wet AMD really was and what that meant.
My doctor told me about a colleague that he had that was specializing in wet AMD.
I was able to get an appointment with her right away, and Mike, my fiancé, was able to drive me down there to see her.
Doctor confirmed what I had, and she explained that she was going to begin giving me an injection in my left eye every four weeks.
Everything that I do is around seeing. I play tennis couple of times a week, pickle ball a couple of times a week. I do exercise classes. I am very active. Losing my sight would be absolutely devastating to my life.
For two years I went in every four weeks to get my injections. I had to block off one day of my calendar every four weeks. Then my doctor approached me about an implant called SUSVIMO.
She explained that SUSVIMO is a permanent refillable eye implant that continuously delivers medicine into the eye over a period of months.
She said it would include a one-time surgery to place a small implant that’s filled with medicine in my eye.
VOICE-OVER:
SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with neovascular (wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who have responded to at least two injections of a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) inhibitor in the gel-like part of the eye (intravitreal). It is not known if SUSVIMO is safe and effective in children.
CAROL:
I would then get the implant refilled every six months, meaning I wouldn’t have to go for the eye injection every four weeks. And that, I liked a lot.
My doctor was very thorough in answering all the questions. We talked about all the possible risks and benefits.
I made the decision to give SUSVIMO a try because it meant I would no longer have to block off a whole day every four weeks from my schedule.
I had my implant surgery in the winter of 2020. The doctors and the nurses were so great. They made me feel so comfortable.
The surgery itself was very quick. I was able to go home the same day.
I was given an eye patch, and I took it easy for about a month at the recommendation of my doctor. I did have some discomfort right after the surgery that lasted for a couple of weeks.
It felt like I had some eyelashes in there and they were just irritating. And then in a couple of weeks, my eye adjusted to it. I even forgot that it was there!
Ever since I received my implant, I have been doing well. My vision is clear, which means I don’t have to block off a day every four weeks for my doctor’s appointment.
This is just my experience. Everyone is different.
I am continuing to stay active. The summertime, I’ve got the water aerobics, tennis and pickleball and bocci ball are also all year long.
My gratefulness is really outreaching. We can go out and socialize. We can go out dancing. I can go out and play the sports that I want to play.
Being able to go where I want to go is absolutely wonderful. I feel very fortunate.
VOICE-OVER:
What is SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection)?
SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with neovascular (wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who have responded to at least two injections of a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) inhibitor in the gel-like part of the eye (intravitreal). It is not known if SUSVIMO is safe and effective in children.
What is the most important information I should know about SUSVIMO?
SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) is delivered into the eye using the SUSVIMO implant. The SUSVIMO implant and the procedures to insert, fill, refill, and remove the eye (ocular) implant can cause serious side effects, including:
- An eye infection (endophthalmitis). Endophthalmitis is an infection of the eyeball that can cause permanent damage to your eye, including blindness. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have increasing eye pain, vision loss, sensitivity to light, or redness in the white of the eye. Endophthalmitis requires urgent (same-day) medical or surgical treatment.
- A missing layer on top of the white part of the eye (conjunctival erosion). Conjunctival erosion is an area that becomes missing (defect) in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may result in exposure of the implant. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye, eye discharge, or watering of the eye. Conjunctival erosion may require surgical treatment.
- An opening of the layer that covers the white part of the eye (conjunctival retraction). Conjunctival retraction is an opening or gaping in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may cause the implant to be exposed. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye, eye discharge, or watering of the eye. Conjunctival retraction may require surgical treatment.
Do not receive SUSVIMO if you:
- have an infection in or around your eye.
- have active swelling around your eye that may include pain and redness.
- are allergic to ranibizumab or any of the ingredients in SUSVIMO.
Talk to your healthcare provider before receiving SUSVIMO if you have any of these conditions.
Before receiving SUSVIMO, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- are currently taking or have recently taken medicines that lower the chance of blood clots forming in the body, such as warfarin, low or regular doses of aspirin, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if SUSVIMO will harm your unborn baby. You should use birth control during your treatment with SUSVIMO and for 12 months after your last dose of SUSVIMO.
What are other possible side effects of SUSVIMO?
The SUSVIMO implant and the procedures to insert, fill, refill and remove the eye (ocular) implant can cause other serious side effects, including:
- Tear and separation of layers of the retina (rhegmatogenous retinal detachment). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is a tear and separation of one of the layers of the retina in the back of the eye that senses light. Call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room right away if you see flashing lights, see a curtain or veil covering part of your vision, or have a change in, or a loss of vision. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment requires surgical treatment.
- Implant movement (implant dislocation): Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice that the implant has moved out of place. This movement may require surgical treatment to correct.
- Implant damage: Damage to the implant that prevents continued treatment (refills) with SUSVIMO. If the implant is not able to be properly refilled, your wet AMD may be inadequately treated and your physician may remove the implant and/or change your treatment.
- Bleeding (vitreous hemorrhage): Vitreous hemorrhage is bleeding within the gel-like substance (vitreous) inside of your eye. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have an increase in moving spots or what looks like spider webs in your vision, as you may need an additional eye surgery.
- Bump on top of the white layer of the eye (conjunctival bleb): conjunctival bleb is a small bulge in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye where the implant is inserted. This may be due to leakage of fluid from the inside of the eye. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye (foreign body sensation), see a bulge over the white part of your eye, have eye discharge, or have watering in the eye. You may need medical or surgical treatment.
- Temporary decrease in vision after the SUSVIMO procedure.
The most common side effects of SUSVIMO include:
- Blood on the white of the eye
- Eye pain
- Redness in the white of the eye
- Sensitivity to light
These are not all the possible side effects of SUSVIMO.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.
Please see Important Safety Information, including Serious Side Effects, as well as the SUSVIMO full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.
Bill's story
Meet Bill, a wet AMD patient who switched from monthly injections to SUSVIMO and now maintains his vision with more time for the activities he loves and less time worried about his next doctor's visit.
Read Bill's story
BILL:
Being able to see and see clearly is everything to me.
I love to hunt and play golf, which both require good eyesight.
So, when I lost some of the vision capabilities, I was very scared.
All this happened at duck camp in January of 2017.
I was seeing silhouettes instead of seeing somebody’s facial features. Driving a car at night was one big bright light.
And when I got home from that trip, I called my eye doctor. Went to him immediately, and he noticed something in the eye that wasn’t good or normal, and he said, “I need to send you on to the retina people.”
My first visit with the retina specialist, I was diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration.
I got started on eye injections right away.
My doctor said, “This is not good.” And my response was, “What do you mean, ‘This is not good?’” So, he said, “Well, apparently, you’re probably gonna have to come back every four to six weeks to be injected.” And basically, I wanted to know how long. He said, “Well, that’s gonna be lifelong,” and I thought, Wow. That was devastating news. I was just—it blew me away. And I was kinda like, “That can’t happen. That can’t be.”
I had been receiving the injections about six months and was responding to the medication.
My doctor told me I was a good candidate for SUSVIMO. He said SUSVIMO is an eye implant that is surgically placed in the eye. The implant is refillable and continuously delivers medicine into the eye for a period of six months. Meaning that I would go in for a refill twice a year.
VOICE-OVER:
SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with neovascular (wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who have responded to at least two injections of a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) inhibitor in the gel-like part of the eye (intravitreal). It is not known if SUSVIMO is safe and effective in children.
BILL:
Right off the bat I was excited. I thought, Wow, if this is going to give me a chance to maybe not get injected every month or six weeks, I thought this is great.
After discussing all the potential risks and benefits, I decided to give SUSVIMO a try.
My brother, Pete, drove me to the hospital on the day of my implant surgery. The procedure itself was uneventful. No real remembrances of any discomforts or no pains at all when the procedure went on. Lasted 30 to 45 minutes.
For post-op, I was given an eye patch. The instructions after that were just to take it easy for approximately a month. You know, you don’t need to be out doing anything that’s gonna put any strain on your eye or a chance to have something hit your eye.
I went in for a follow-up appointment and my doctor said the eye is healing well.
My family has been very supportive throughout this process. And they think it’s pretty cool. And I think it’s pretty cool.
My experience with the implant has been uneventful. And as a result of the surgery and the implant, I have felt nothing—no itching, no pain. And had I not been there to have it put in my eye, I wouldn’t even know it’s in my eye with the exception of refill time. And the only thing you feel then is just the pressure—initial pressure of an injection.
This is my experience, and everyone else could be different.
The fact that I don’t have to go back every month to be injected is a big relief. The SUSVIMO implant has allowed me to continue to do the things that I enjoy and love. Mostly sports-related activities, you know, if I’m hunting or golfing. Life couldn’t be better—especially my eyesight life.
VOICE-OVER:
What is SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection)?
SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with neovascular (wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who have responded to at least two injections of a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) inhibitor in the gel-like part of the eye (intravitreal). It is not known if SUSVIMO is safe and effective in children.
What is the most important information I should know about SUSVIMO?
SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) is delivered into the eye using the SUSVIMO implant. The SUSVIMO implant and the procedures to insert, fill, refill, and remove the eye (ocular) implant can cause serious side effects, including:
- An eye infection (endophthalmitis). Endophthalmitis is an infection of the eyeball that can cause permanent damage to your eye, including blindness. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have increasing eye pain, vision loss, sensitivity to light, or redness in the white of the eye. Endophthalmitis requires urgent (same-day) medical or surgical treatment.
- A missing layer on top of the white part of the eye (conjunctival erosion). Conjunctival erosion is an area that becomes missing (defect) in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may result in exposure of the implant. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye, eye discharge, or watering of the eye. Conjunctival erosion may require surgical treatment.
An opening of the layer that covers the white part of the eye (conjunctival retraction). Conjunctival retraction is an opening or gaping in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may cause the implant to be exposed. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye, eye discharge, or watering of the eye. Conjunctival retraction may require surgical treatment.
Do not receive SUSVIMO if you:
- have an infection in or around your eye.
- have active swelling around your eye that may include pain and redness.
- are allergic to ranibizumab or any of the ingredients in SUSVIMO.
Talk to your healthcare provider before receiving SUSVIMO if you have any of these conditions.
Before receiving SUSVIMO, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- are currently taking or have recently taken medicines that lower the chance of blood clots forming in the body, such as warfarin, low or regular doses of aspirin, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if SUSVIMO will harm your unborn baby. You should use birth control during your treatment with SUSVIMO and for 12 months after your last dose of SUSVIMO.
What are other possible side effects of SUSVIMO?
The SUSVIMO implant and the procedures to insert, fill, refill and remove the eye (ocular) implant can cause other serious side effects, including:
Tear and separation of layers of the retina (rhegmatogenous retinal detachment). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is a tear and separation of one of the layers of the retina in the back of the eye that senses light. Call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room right away if you see flashing lights, see a curtain or veil covering part of your vision, or have a change in, or a loss of vision. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment requires surgical treatment.
Implant movement (implant dislocation): Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice that the implant has moved out of place. This movement may require surgical treatment to correct.
Implant damage: Damage to the implant that prevents continued treatment (refills) with SUSVIMO. If the implant is not able to be properly refilled, your wet AMD may be inadequately treated and your physician may remove the implant and/or change your treatment.
Bleeding (vitreous hemorrhage): Vitreous hemorrhage is bleeding within the gel-like substance (vitreous) inside of your eye. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have an increase in moving spots or what looks like spider webs in your vision, as you may need an additional eye surgery.
Bump on top of the white layer of the eye (conjunctival bleb): conjunctival bleb is a small bulge in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye where the implant is inserted. This may be due to leakage of fluid from the inside of the eye. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have a sudden feeling that something is in your eye (foreign body sensation), see a bulge over the white part of your eye, have eye discharge, or have watering in the eye. You may need medical or surgical treatment.
Temporary decrease in vision after the SUSVIMO procedure.
The most common side effects of SUSVIMO include:
- Blood on the white of the eye
- Eye pain
- Redness in the white of the eye
- Sensitivity to light
These are not all the possible side effects of SUSVIMO.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Genentech at 1-888- 835-2555.
Please see Important Safety Information, including Serious Side Effects, as well as the SUSVIMO full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.
-
-
SUSVIMO [package insert]. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc; 2022.
SUSVIMO [package insert]. South San Francisco, CA: Genentech, Inc; 2022.
-
Campochiaro PA, Marcus DM, Awh CC, et al. The port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2019;126:1141-1154.
Campochiaro PA, Marcus DM, Awh CC, et al. The port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2019;126:1141-1154.
-
SUSVIMO Initial Fill and Implant Procedure Instructions for Use. Genentech, Inc. 2022.
SUSVIMO Initial Fill and Implant Procedure Instructions for Use. Genentech, Inc. 2022.
-
Monés J, Gune S, Maia M, et al. Pharmacokinetic profile of the port delivery system with ranibizumab in the phase 3 Archway trial. Presented at 21st EURETINA Congress, September 9-12, 2021.
Monés J, Gune S, Maia M, et al. Pharmacokinetic profile of the port delivery system with ranibizumab in the phase 3 Archway trial. Presented at 21st EURETINA Congress, September 9-12, 2021.
-
Ranade SV, Wieland MR, Tam T, et al. The port delivery system with ranibizumab: a new paradigm for long-acting retinal drug delivery. Drug Delivery. 2022;29(1):1326-1334.
Ranade SV, Wieland MR, Tam T, et al. The port delivery system with ranibizumab: a new paradigm for long-acting retinal drug delivery. Drug Delivery. 2022;29(1):1326-1334.
-
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
-
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
-
Holekamp NM, Campochiaro PA, Chang MA, et al; Archway Investigators. Archway randomized phase 3 trial of the port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2022;129(3):295-307.
Holekamp NM, Campochiaro PA, Chang MA, et al; Archway Investigators. Archway randomized phase 3 trial of the port delivery system with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology. 2022;129(3):295-307.
-
A phase III study to evaluate the port delivery system with ranibizumab compared with monthly ranibizumab injections in participants with wet age-related macular degeneration. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03677934. Updated July 22, 2021. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03677934
A phase III study to evaluate the port delivery system with ranibizumab compared with monthly ranibizumab injections in participants with wet age-related macular degeneration. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03677934. Updated July 22, 2021. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03677934
-
Wykoff CC; Archway Investigators. 2-year outcomes from the phase 3 Archway trial: management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration using the port delivery system with ranibizumab (PDS). Presented at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2022 – Virtual Edition, February 11-12, 2022.
Wykoff CC; Archway Investigators. 2-year outcomes from the phase 3 Archway trial: management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration using the port delivery system with ranibizumab (PDS). Presented at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2022 – Virtual Edition, February 11-12, 2022.
-
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
-
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
Data on file. Genentech, Inc. 2021.
-
Chang MA, Kapre A, Kaufman D, et al. Patient preference and treatment satisfaction with a port delivery system for ranibizumab vs intravitreal injections in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online June 16, 2022.
Chang MA, Kapre A, Kaufman D, et al. Patient preference and treatment satisfaction with a port delivery system for ranibizumab vs intravitreal injections in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online June 16, 2022.
-
-