Faricimab may extend the treatment interval in patients refractory to ranibizumab or aflibercep
Faricimab treatment may prolong the treatment interval for patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) that has proven refractory to ranibizumab or aflibercept, according to a study, which also found that patients with a history of subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide or those exhibiting disorganization of the retinal inner layers may have a lower likelihood of experiencing a longer recurrence interval after switching to faricimab.
In a recent retrospective study, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of faricimab and angiopoietin-2 bispecific monoclonal antibody, in 18 patients with DME that had proven refractory to ranibizumab or aflibercept. All participants were treated with faricimab under a pro re nata regimen and were followed for a minimum of four months after the initiation of faricimab.
The results of the study demonstrated that the switch to faricimab significantly extended the mean recurrence interval of previous anti-VEGF injections, which was 5.8 ± 2.5 weeks, to 10.8 ± 4.9 weeks. Overall, 44.4% of the patients achieved a recurrence interval of ≥12 weeks.
A history of subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide and the presence of disorganization of the retinal inner layers were significantly associated with a recurrence interval of ≤12 weeks after switching to faricimab.
The mean BCVAs at baseline and 4 months were 0.23 ± 0.28 logMAR and 0.19 ± 0.23 logMAR, respectively, while the mean CMTs were 473.8 ± 222.0 µm and 381.3 ± 219.4 µm, respectively. These changes did not reach statistical significance.
None of the patients experienced any serious adverse events during the study period.
Reference
Ohara H, Harada Y, Hiyama T, et al. Faricimab for Diabetic Macular Edema in Patients Refractory to Ranibizumab or Aflibercept. Medicina (Kaunas). 2023;59(6):1125. doi: 10.3390/medicina59061125. PMID: 37374329; PMCID: PMC10302733.
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