Real-world treatment patterns and outcomes in the first 6 and 12 months of faricimab use among eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) in the UK: FARWIDE-DME

Abstract

Purpose : Faricimab is the only intraocular bispecific antibody inhibiting angiopoietin-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor A. More than 2 million vials of faricimab have been distributed worldwide. We report results from a multicenter real-world data study evaluating patient characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes in eyes treated with faricimab.

Methods : The ongoing, retrospective, Faricimab Real World Evidence (FARWIDE) study includes patients with a documented diagnosis of DME who initiated faricimab at one of the 21 participating National Health Service sites that use the Medisoft medical record system in the UK.

Results : 1921 patients (2673 DME eyes) received faricimab between June 2022 and June 2023. 36% of patient-eyes were naive and the remainder were previously-treated, primarily with aflibercept (86%). 71% of naive eyes and 58% of previously-treated eyes received four initial doses of faricimab per the UK label.

17% of naive eyes (n=163) and 21% of the previously-treated eyes (n=367) had ≥6 months of follow-up. Previously-treated eyes had received anti-VEGF treatments for a mean (SD) of 2.8 (2.5) years before initiating faricimab. Among eyes with ≥6 injections, mean (SD) treatment interval between the 5^th and 6^th faricimab injection was 9.0 (2.6) weeks in naive eyes and 7.4 (2.6) weeks in previously treated eyes. Mean (SD) gain in vision from baseline by injection 6 was +8.1 (1.6) letters (nominal p<0.001) among naive eyes and +1.1 (0.8) letters among previously-treated eyes.

303 eyes (33% naive) had ≥12 months of follow-up on faricimab. Naive eyes received a mean (SD) of 4.5 (0.9) and 1.8 (1.3) injections in the first 6 months and 7-12 months of faricimab treatment, respectively, while previously-treated eyes received 4.6 (1.1) and 2.5 (1.4) faricimab injections, suggesting a rapid extension in faricimab treatment intervals after the initial doses.

Conclusions : Initial results support the real-world durability of faricimab in treatment naive and previously treated eyes. Longer-term data will help further evaluate the durability and additional treatment outcomes of faricimab, and the potential impact of dual inhibition on disease control.

This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.