Roche subsidiary Genentech has reported positive new data from a pair of phase III diabetic macular oedema (DMO) clinical trials for the drug Lucentis.

Results from the Rise and Ride studies showed that the drug was able to deliver significant improvement in vision compared to placebo after 24 months, as well as delaying progression of the underlying diabetic retinopathy disease.

Lucentis was approved as a treatment for DMO in Europe earlier this year, with Genentech currently seeking ratification to market the drug in this specification in the US.

In Europe and other international territories, the Genentech-developed drug is marketed by Novartis and is being jointly developed by the two companies for various eye disorders.

Dr David Boyer of the Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group in Los Angeles said: "These studies showed that Lucentis helped improve vision even in patients without tight glucose control and fewer patients who received Lucentis progressed to more advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy."

Earlier this month, Roche and Genentech announced positive trial data for vismodegib, their developmental treatment for advanced basal cell carcinoma