Roche’s Vabysmo has delivered sustained improvements in vision and retinal health over two years in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), a difficult-to-treat subtype of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) that is particularly prevalent in Asian populations.

 

The new Phase IIIb/IV SALWEEN study data, presented at the 19th Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society (APVRS) Congress in Australia, showed that patients treated with Vabysmo (faricimab) gained an average 7.3 letters in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and saw a 127 µm reduction in central subfield thickness (CST) from baseline over weeks 100–108.

 

The results also pointed to sustained retinal disease control. By the second year, 74% of patients had no retinal fluid, while Vabysmo achieved complete regression of polypoidal lesions in 62% of eyes and inactivation in 86%.

 

The treatment also enabled longer dosing intervals for many patients. While 51% of patients were assigned to a 20-week dosing interval at the end of the first year, that figure rose to 61% by the end of year two.

 

“The two-year SALWEEN results demonstrate the sustained efficacy and durability of Vabysmo in people living with PCV, a difficult-to-treat subtype of nAMD that is common in Asia,” said Levi Garraway, Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. 

 

“Since its initial approval, Vabysmo continues to demonstrate strong efficacy, durability and a favourable safety profile in treating a range of high-burden eye diseases.”

 

The findings are particularly significant in Asia, where PCV can account for up to 60% of nAMD cases. The disease is characterised by abnormal, polyp-like blood vessels in the choroid that can leak fluid or blood, damaging the retina and potentially causing severe vision loss.

 

"PCV is an aggressive subtype of nAMD that accounts for up to 60% of cases in Asian populations — a burden that will only grow as the population ages,” said Professor Gemmy Cheung, Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore. 

 

“These two-year results show that dual Ang-2/VEGF-A inhibition can change the trajectory of this vision-threatening disease. Achieving polypoidal lesion inactivation in nearly nine out of 10 patients, while allowing most to maintain a 20-week dosing interval, means Vabysmo can provide disease control while also drastically reducing the treatment burden."

 

Roche said Vabysmo was well tolerated in the study, with its safety profile in PCV consistent with the established safety profile seen in nAMD.

 

nAMD is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration that can cause rapid and severe loss of central vision if left untreated. The disease develops when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the macula, leading to swelling, bleeding and fibrosis.

 

An estimated 20 million people worldwide are living with nAMD, making it a leading cause of vision loss among people over 60. The burden is expected to rise further as populations age.

 

PCV is more common among people of Asian descent, accounting for up to 60% of nAMD cases in Asian populations compared with up to 20% among people of European descent.