Spotlight - The Future of Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane in Oculoplastic Surgery
Optometry360 Logo White
Home > Retina > Aflibercept 8 mg shows consistent efficacy across nAMD severity subgroups

Aflibercept 8 mg shows consistent efficacy across nAMD severity subgroups

Ophthalmology 360

Key Takeaways

  1. Aflibercept 8 mg achieved visual and anatomic outcomes comparable to aflibercept 2 mg across all baseline disease severity subgroups in nAMD.
  2. Most patients treated with aflibercept 8 mg maintained extended dosing intervals (≥12 or ≥16 weeks) through 96 weeks, regardless of baseline disease characteristics.

A post hoc subgroup analysis of the PULSAR trial found that baseline disease severity did not meaningfully affect clinical outcomes in treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with aflibercept 8 mg at extended dosing intervals compared with aflibercept 2 mg every 8 weeks.

The analysis included 869 patients who completed 96 weeks in a randomized, double-masked trial. Patients were grouped by baseline visual acuity, retinal thickness, lesion type, and lesion size. Those receiving aflibercept 8 mg were treated every 12 or 16 weeks after 3 initial monthly doses, with adjustments based on disease activity, while the 2 mg group was treated every 8 weeks after the same loading phase.

Across all subgroups, patients treated with aflibercept 8 mg achieved visual acuity and anatomic outcomes at week 96 comparable to those observed with aflibercept 2 mg. These findings were consistent regardless of baseline best-corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness, choroidal neovascularization lesion type, or lesion size.

In addition, most patients treated with aflibercept 8 mg maintained extended dosing intervals through week 96, with the majority reaching intervals of at least 12 weeks in the group assigned to dosing every 12 weeks and at least 16 weeks in the group assigned to dosing every 16 weeks across all baseline disease severity subgroups.

Reference

Gale RP, Loewenstein A, Zhang X, et al; PULSAR study investigators. PULSAR: Clinical Outcomes of Aflibercept 8 mg with Extended Dosing and 2 mg in nAMD in Subgroups Defined by Baseline Characteristics. Ophthalmol Retina. 2026;S2468-6530(26)00109-0. doi: 10.1016/j.oret.2026.02.020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41861959.

Related Content