Archway Phase 3 Trial of the Port Delivery System with Ranibizumab for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration 2-Year Results

Purpose: To report 2-year results from the Archway clinical trial of the Port Delivery System with ranibizumab (PDS) for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Design: Phase 3, randomized, multicenter, open-label, active-comparator-controlled trial.

Participants: Patients with previously treated nAMD diagnosed within 9 months of screening and responsive to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy.

Methods: Patients were randomized 3:2 to PDS with ranibizumab 100 mg/ml with fixed refill-exchanges every 24 weeks (PDS Q24W) or intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg injections every 4 weeks (monthly ranibizumab). Patients were followed through 4 complete refill-exchange intervals (∼2 years).

Main outcome measures: Change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letter score from baseline averaged over weeks 44 and 48, weeks 60 and 64, and weeks 88 and 92 (noninferiority margin, -3.9 ETDRS letters).

Results: The PDS Q24W was noninferior to monthly ranibizumab, with differences in adjusted mean change in BCVA score from baseline averaged over weeks 44/48, 60/64 and 88/92 of -0.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.8 to +1.3), +0.4 (95% CI, -1.4 to +2.1) and -0.6 ETDRS letters (95% CI, -2.5 to +1.3), respectively. Anatomic outcomes were generally comparable between arms through week 96. Through each of 4 PDS refill-exchange intervals, 98.4%, 94.6%, 94.8%, and 94.7% of PDS Q24W patients assessed did not receive supplemental ranibizumab treatment. The PDS ocular safety profile was generally unchanged from primary analysis. Prespecified ocular adverse events of special interest (AESI) were reported in 59 (23.8%) PDS and 17 (10.2%) monthly ranibizumab patients. The most common AESI reported in both arms was cataract (PDS Q24W, 22 [8.9%]; monthly ranibizumab, 10 [6.0%]). Events in the PDS Q24W arm included (patient incidence) 10 (4.0%) conjunctival erosions, 6 (2.4%) conjunctival retractions, 4 (1.6%) endophthalmitis cases, and 4 (1.6%) implant dislocations. Serum ranibizumab sampling showed that the PDS continuously released ranibizumab over the 24-week refill-exchange interval and ranibizumab serum concentrations were within the range experienced with monthly ranibizumab.

Conclusions: The PDS Q24W showed noninferior efficacy to monthly ranibizumab through approximately 2 years, with approximately 95% of PDS Q24W patients not receiving supplemental ranibizumab treatment in each refill-exchange interval. The AESIs were generally manageable, with learnings continually implemented to minimize PDS-related AEs.

Financial disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.