Abstract
Purpose :
Compare impact of biosimilar drugs—bevacizumab, aflibercept, brolucizumab, ranibizumab, and farcizumab—on retinal structure and function in the DL-AAA model.
Methods :
Dutch Belted rabbits (8-12 months old) received bilateral intravitreal injections (IVT) of 80 mM DL-AAA. Data collection spanned 22 weeks, commencing 8 weeks post-induction. Assessments included fluorescein angiography and electroretinogram (ERG) measurements at various scotopic and photopic flash intensities. Biosimilar drugs were administered via bilateral IVT injections on Week 8.
Treatment arms, where n represents the number of rabbits, included the following: a control group (0.9% NaCl, 50 µl; n=4), aflibercept (50 µl/eye; 250 µg/eye; n=4), bevacizumab (50 µl/eye; 1250 µg/eye; n=4), ranibizumab (50 µl/eye; 210 µg/eye; n=3), brolucizumab (50 µl/eye; 6000 µg/eye; n=3), and farcizumab (50 µl/eye; 2570 µg/eye; n=3).
Data analysis: retinal damage, assessed in 12 zones, was scored from 0 (no changes) to 4 (severe damage). Statistical analyses involved Two-Way ANOVA, and Post hoc Dunnett's tests compared results to either the 8-week data or the Placebo group.
Results :
Statistically significant differences in rabbit retinas were observed from the 8-Week onset in anti-angiogenic drug groups. Notable leakage percentage reduction was observed in the aflibercept group at Week 10 (69,73%), farcizumab group from Week 10 to 20 (77,58%), ranibizumab group from Week 10 to 16 (67,84%); bevacizumab group from Week 10 to 20 (46,28%), brolucizumab group had no significant effect observed throughout the study (28,28%).
Comparative analysis revealed significant differences as compared to the placebo group at various time points: for faricimab and aflibercept treated animals on week 10 (P=0.0091 for faricimab and P=0.0174 for aflibercept), and for faricimab only on Weeks 12-18 (P<0.01 for week 12, P=0.04 for week 14, and P=0.012 for week 18).
Conclusions :
While aflibercept serves as a standard positive control in rabbit DL-AAA model, our findings show that farcizumab exhibits better and prolonged anti-angiogenic effects as compared to aflibercept and the commonly used bevacizumab. These results contribute valuable insights into the potential efficacy of farcizumab in treating retinal neovascularization, emphasizing its role as a promising therapeutic option.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.