Regeneron announced positive three-year results from an extension study of the Phase 3 PULSAR trial for EYLEA HD (aflibercept 8 mg) in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD). The study showed that the majority of patients maintained visual and anatomical improvements with extended dosing intervals, some as long as six months. Data also revealed that patients switching from EYLEA (aflibercept 2 mg) to EYLEA HD achieved similar benefits with fewer injections.
These findings are crucial for advancing wAMD treatment paradigms. Longer dosing intervals offer significant advantages for patients, potentially reducing the burden of frequent injections and improving their quality of life by lessening the need for clinic visits. For healthcare systems, the reduced treatment frequency could translate to greater resource efficiency. This progress is particularly relevant considering the aging population and the increasing prevalence of wAMD, which poses a growing challenge to healthcare resources.
In the PULSAR extension study, nearly 60% of EYLEA HD patients achieved a dosing interval of at least four months, with 40% reaching five months or more, and 24% reaching six months. Patients who transitioned from EYLEA 2 mg to EYLEA HD in the extension study also saw sustained visual and anatomical benefits, with 79% achieving dosing intervals of three months or longer, and 43% reaching four months or longer. The safety profile of EYLEA HD remained consistent with previous trials, showing comparable outcomes to EYLEA 2 mg.
These positive long-term results solidify EYLEA HD’s potential to become a leading treatment option for wAMD. The extended dosing intervals achieved in this study represent a meaningful step towards less intensive treatment regimens, offering a potential paradigm shift in how wAMD is managed. This could lead to increased patient adherence to treatment, improved clinical outcomes, and ultimately, a better quality of life for individuals living with this challenging condition. Furthermore, this development could encourage further research into optimizing treatment regimens and exploring even longer dosing intervals with EYLEA HD in the future.
Jon Napitupulu is Director of Media Relations at The Clinical Trial Vanguard. Jon, a computer data scientist, focuses on the latest clinical trial industry news and trends.
