Morph-interpolation visualizations of the effect of monthly intravitreal injections of faricimab 6.0 mg in patients with diabetic macular edema from the BOULEVARD trial

Abstract

Purpose : Faricimab is a bispecific antibody designed to inhibit angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), promote vascular stability, and improve outcomes in neovascular age related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema (DME). The aim of this presentation is to illustrate the treatment effect of faricimab on central subfield thickness, intraretinal fluid, subretinal fluid, hyperreflective retinal foci, and exudates using a morph-interpolation program.

Methods : We used spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) data from patients in the faricimab 6.0 mg arm of the phase 2 BOULEVARD trial (NCT02699450) to visualize the effect of faricimab on DME as well as other retinal layers and structures. All monthly SD-OCT scans from baseline to follow-up were included showing the effect of 6 monthly intravitreal injections of faricimab 6.0 mg. A commercially available morph-interpolation program was used to interpolate the structural changes between image acquisitions.

Results : Case animations showing the treatment effect of faricimab from morph-interpolation visualizations will be presented.

Conclusions : These case animations will illustrate the effects of faricimab on anatomic outcomes in patients with DME in the BOULEVARD trial. These findings are supported by those from the phase 3 YOSEMITE/RHINE (NCT03622580/NCT03622593) DME trials, where faricimab demonstrated robust vision gains, anatomic improvements and extended durability compared to aflibercept over 2 years. Thus, dual inhibition with faricimab, a bispecific antibody that independently binds and neutralizes both Ang-2 and VEGF-A, may improve patient outcomes beyond therapies only targeting anti-VEGF.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.