Real-world data from the FARETINA-AMD study suggests that faricimab demonstrates good visual stability and allows for extended treatment intervals in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The findings, presented at Retina 2024, highlight the potential of faricimab to reduce the treatment burden for patients while maintaining visual acuity.
Study Highlights
Ferhina S. Ali, MD, MPH, presented data showing that patients treated with faricimab experienced good vision stability. "What we saw with our patients that were getting faricimab over our study period, which was soon after drug approval, is that most of these patients were not treatment naїve and that they had been on treatment prior. Most of them had been on treatment with aflibercept and they were switched to faricimab treatment," Dr. Ali noted.
A key observation was the rapid extension of treatment intervals early in the treatment course. This suggests that faricimab may offer a more convenient dosing schedule for patients, reducing the frequency of intravitreal injections.
Clinical Implications
The current treatment landscape for nAMD often involves frequent intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents. While effective, this can be burdensome for patients and healthcare providers. Faricimab, with its dual mechanism of action targeting both VEGF-A and Ang-2, offers a potential alternative that may require less frequent administration.
The FARETINA-AMD study provides valuable real-world evidence supporting the use of faricimab in clinical practice. The findings suggest that switching to faricimab can maintain visual stability and potentially reduce the frequency of injections, improving patient compliance and quality of life.
