Efficacy and Safety of Abicipar in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: 52-Week Results of Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Study

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of abicipar every 8 weeks and quarterly (after initial doses) versus ranibizumab every 4 weeks in treatment-naïve patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Two randomized, multicenter, double-masked, parallel-group, active-controlled, phase 3 clinical trials (CEDAR, SEQUOIA) with identical protocols were conducted. Data from both trials were pooled for analysis.

Participants: Patients with active choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 24-73 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters in the study eye were enrolled.

Methods: Patients (n = 1888) were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to study eye treatment with abicipar 2 mg every 8 weeks after 3 initial doses at baseline and weeks 4 and 8 (Q8), abicipar 2 mg every 12 weeks after 3 initial doses at baseline and weeks 4 and 12 (Q12), or ranibizumab 0.5 mg every 4 weeks (Q4).

Main outcome measures: The primary efficacy end point was proportion of patients with stable vision (defined as <15-letter loss in BCVA from baseline) in the study eye at week 52. Secondary end points included change from baseline in BCVA and central retinal thickness (CRT) at week 52. Safety measures included adverse events (AEs).

Results: The proportion of patients with stable vision at week 52 was 93.2%, 91.3%, and 95.8% in the abicipar Q8, abicipar Q12, and ranibizumab Q4 groups, respectively, with both abicipar Q8 and Q12 noninferior to ranibizumab Q4. Week 52 mean change from baseline in BCVA was 7.5, 6.4, and 8.4 letters and in CRT was -144, -145, and -144 μm in the abicipar Q8, abicipar Q12, and ranibizumab Q4 groups, respectively. Incidence of intraocular inflammation (IOI) AEs was 15.4%, 15.3%, and 0.3%, respectively. The IOI AEs were typically mild or moderate in severity and treated with topical corticosteroids; 62 of 192 patients (32.3%) received oral and/or injectable corticosteroids.

Conclusions: Abicipar Q8 and Q12 were both noninferior to ranibizumab Q4 in the primary end point of stable vision at week 52. Intraocular inflammation was more frequent with abicipar. Quarterly and Q8 abicipar reduce nAMD disease and treatment burden compared with monthly treatment.