Global experience of faricimab in clinical settings - a review

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Faricimab is a bispecific antibody that acts to reduce neoangiogenesis in exudative retinal vascular disorders. It is approved for use in neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. We review the published efficacy and safety of faricimab in clinical settings.

Areas covered

A comprehensive literature review was conducted. Based on the 14 published real-world studies, 1127 patients (1204 eyes) were treated with faricimab. The majority of studies (14) included pre-treated patients. Most studies (13) showed central macular thickness improvement. However visual acuity improved in only half of the studies analyzed. Four studies demonstrated an extension of the treatment. Only 4 eyes (0.33%) reported intraocular inflammation and 3 eyes (0.24%) reported retinal pigment epithelial tear.

Expert opinion

The clinical experience with faricimab to date has the potential to provide a stable visual outcome with reduced treatment burden in cases that are resistant to other approved anti-VEGF agents. There are no major safety concerns based on this data analysis.

KEYWORDS:

• Faricimab
• clinical settings
• anti-VEGF
• Ang-2
• nAMD
• intravitreal injections

Article highlights

• Faricimab is a newer molecule with dual inhibition of VEGF and Ang-2.

• Real-world published data is available for n-AMD and DME.

• Real-world data is encouraging in terms of extension of treatment for both n-AMD and DME.

• No major safety concerns are found as per the current real world data analysis.

• Faricimab seems promising in the treatment of retinal vascular diseases with a good safety margin based on the real world data.

Declaration of interest

A Sharma has acted as a consultant for Novartis, Allergan, Bayer, Lupin and Intas and has received speaker fees from Biogen. A Loewenstein has acted as a consultant for Allergan, Novartis, Roche, Notal Vision, Fiorsightslabs, Beyeonics and Bayer Health Care. F Bandello has acted as a consultant for Allergan, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, FidiaSooft, Hofmann La Roche, Novartis, NTC Pharma, Sifi, Thrombogenics and Zeiss. BD Kuppermannhas performed clinical research for Alcon, Alimera, Allegro, Allergan, Apellis, Clearside, Genentech, GSK, Ionis, jCyte, Novartis, Regeneron and ThromboGenics and has acted as a consultant for Alimera, Allegro, Allergan, Cell Care, Dose, Eyedaptic, Galimedix, Genentech, Glaukos, Interface Biologics, jCyte, Novartis, Ophthotech, Regeneron, Revana and Theravance Biopharma. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

A reviewer on this manuscript has disclosed that they have acted as a speaker for Regeneron and as a speaker/consultant for Genentech. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no other relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Author contributions

A Sharma: conception, analysis, drafting, integrity check, final approval. N Kumar, N Parachuri, A Loewenstein, F Bandello; BD Kupperman; drafting, revision, analysis, integrity check.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.