Monthly avacincaptad pegol reduces geographic atrophy lesion growth for up to 3.5 years
Extended results from the phase 3 GATHER2 study found that monthly treatment with avacincaptad pegol continued to reduce geographic atrophy (GA) lesions for up to 3.5 years. Patients who were treated earlier for GA saw greater efficacy with this treatment.
The study was presented at the 2025 AAO Annual Meeting.
The open-label extension study included patients who previously completed the GATHER2 study (both those receiving avacincaptad pegol and sham) who went on to receive avacincaptad pegol monthly for an additional 18 months.
Patients who continued avacincaptad pegol for an additional 18 months (up to 3.5 years total following the first portion of the study) saw a 40.5% reduction in GA lesion growth, and patients who switched from sham to avacincaptad pegol saw a 37.1% reduction (P<0.001 for both).
Patients who were receiving avacincaptad pegol in the original study saw greater protection of retinal tissue area compared with those previously on sham who switched to avacincaptad pegol (2.92 mm2 vs 1.83 mm2), indicating improved efficacy with earlier treatment intervention.
No new safety signals were reported with the extended dosing, and there were no cases of retinal vasculitis or occlusive vasculitis, as well as no increased risk of intraocular inflammation.
“The first reported findings from this open-label extension study corroborate the favorable efficacy and safety outcomes previously demonstrated in the 2-year GATHER2 trial,” said Arshad Khanani, MD, MA, of the University of Nevada, in a press release about the results. “[Avacincaptad pegol] maintains a consistent safety profile and is associated with meaningful reduction in disease progression over time, with the most pronounced benefits observed in patients who initiated treatment at an earlier stage.”
Reference
Khanani AM, et al. Avacincaptad pegol for GA: 3-year results from the GATHER2 open-label extension trial. Poster presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting; October 18–20, 2025; Orlando, FL.
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