Investigating the efficacy of targeting the Ang/Tie2 pathway with faricimab

At Retina World Congress 2022, Prof. Anat Loewenstein, MD, presented a talk entitled, “Targeting the Ang/Tie2 Pathway: Efficacy and Outcomes.” In her presentation, she discussed data for the bispecific molecule faricimab and its efficacy at targeting both the VEGF and Ang2 pathways while treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME).

Video transcript

In my presentation, I showed how targeting both VEGF and Ang2 in a bispecific molecule—faricimab—can help in increasing the durability of the drugs we are using for both diabetic macular edema and neovascular AMD.

So in my presentation, I showed how in studies for faricimab as compared to a comparator in neovascular macular degeneration. For a duration of two years, a very high percentage of the patients were able to maintain a longer duration interval between doses. And about more than three quarters of the patients were able to maintain a duration of more than three months, and about 45% a duration of four months. And this was maintained while the visual acuity outcomes were non inferior to the comparator.

In addition, a very important point that I emphasize is that there were no signals of significant side effects, no significant intraocular inflammation and no cases of vasculitis or occlusive vasculitis.

For diabetic macular edema, similarly, about three quarters of the patients in the study, were able to be maintained on a three or four monthly interval. And about 50%—and this percentage increased to 60% in the second year—were able to be maintained on a 16-week interval. And that was when non inferiority of visual acuity and even a better drying of the retina as compared to the comparator again with no significant side effects.

Note: This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.