Apellis Reports 5-Year Data Showing SYFOVRE Delays Geographic Atrophy Progression by 1.5 Years
Key Insights
Apellis Pharmaceuticals announced 5-year GALE extension study data demonstrating that SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection) delayed geographic atrophy (search) lesion growth by approximately 1.5 years compared to sham treatment.
Both monthly and every-other-month dosing regimens of SYFOVRE showed similar efficacy in delaying disease progression in patients with nonsubfoveal geographic atrophy (search) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (search).
The safety profile of SYFOVRE remained consistent with previously reported data through five years of continuous treatment, with no new safety signals identified.
Apellis Pharmaceuticals has announced compelling 5-year data from the GALE extension study showing that SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection) delayed geographic atrophy (search) (GA) lesion progression by approximately 1.5 years compared to sham treatment. The results demonstrate sustained efficacy for both monthly and every-other-month dosing regimens in patients with nonsubfoveal GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration (search) (AMD).
Long-Term Efficacy Demonstrates Disease-Modifying Potential
The post hoc analysis from the GALE extension study included patients who received SYFOVRE treatment through Month 24 in the pivotal OAKS and DERBY studies and continued on the same regimen. The data showed that both dosing schedules achieved similar delays in GA lesion growth when compared to sham/projected sham controls.
"I'm very encouraged by these long-term results, which show that early and continuous treatment with SYFOVRE can meaningfully delay the progression of GA," said Dilsher Dhoot, M.D., of California Retina Consultants. "Importantly, these data indicate that SYFOVRE alters the natural course of this disease, which causes irreversible vision loss and profoundly impacts patients' daily lives."
Comprehensive Safety Profile Maintained
The safety profile of SYFOVRE through five years remained consistent with previously reported data, with no new safety signals emerging during the extended treatment period. This finding is particularly significant given that SYFOVRE was associated with specific adverse events in clinical trials, including increased rates of neovascular AMD (search) (12% monthly, 7% every other month versus 3% control group by Month 24) and episodes of intraocular inflammation (search).
Caroline Baumal, M.D., chief medical officer at Apellis, emphasized the clinical significance: "These five-year results underscore the transformative and durable impact of targeting C3 (search) with SYFOVRE to delay the progression of GA. With the most extensive data set in GA, our broad clinical and real-world experience has greatly advanced the retina community's understanding of this devastating disease and reinforced Apellis' leadership."
Largest Geographic Atrophy Database Provides Disease Insights
The GALE study (n=792) represents a Phase 3, multicenter, open-label extension evaluating long-term efficacy and safety of SYFOVRE in GA patients. More than 80 percent of participants who completed the OAKS and DERBY studies entered the GALE extension, creating the most comprehensive dataset in GA research.
For the 5-year analysis, researchers used a projected sham arm to estimate GA lesion growth without treatment between Months 24 and 60, as sham-treated patients from the original studies were eligible to transition to SYFOVRE after Month 24. This projected sham arm was based on observed linear growth patterns over two years and validated through fellow eye analysis.
Addressing Critical Unmet Medical Need
Geographic atrophy (search) affects more than one million Americans and five million people worldwide, representing an advanced form of AMD and a leading cause of blindness. The progressive and irreversible disease destroys retinal cells responsible for vision, with GA lesions typically impacting the fovea within 2.5 years on average.
SYFOVRE, the first-ever approved therapy for GA, targets C3 (search) to provide comprehensive control of the complement cascade. The drug is designed to address the underlying complement-mediated pathology driving GA progression, offering patients the first therapeutic option for this previously untreatable condition.
The detailed results from this 5-year analysis will be presented at a future medical meeting, providing the retina community with comprehensive long-term data on the first approved GA treatment.