Outcomes After Switching to Faricimab in Neovascular Age- Related Macular Degeneration: Data from the Fight Retinal Blindness! Registry

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background We aimed to describe 1- year outcomes of eyes switched to faricimab from first- generation vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF inhibitors for neovascular age- related macular degeneration nAMD in routine care Methods Multicentre observational study of 383 eyes tracked in the Fight Retinal Blindness registry switched to faricimab from aflibercept 2 mg ranibizumab or bevacizumab between 1st January 1st August 2023 in Australia Results One- year completion rates were high 335 383 88 The proportion of choroidal neovascular CNV lesions graded as inactive increased from 39 at switch to 63 at 12 months p 0 01 Mean visual acuity 95 Confidence Interval decreased from 70 0 68 6 71 5 to 68 4 66 7 70 1 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution letters both approx 6 12 Mean treat ment intervals increased from 7 2 to 10 5 weeks p 0 01 Eyes with active CNV at switch maintained mean VA 0 5 1 7 0 7 letters 50 were inactivated at 12 months Eyes with inactive CNV at switch lost 3 5 5 0 1 9 letters 15 had reactivation at 12 months Switchback occurred in 64 383 eyes 17 predominantly to aflibercept 2 mg that lost 1 9 letters without interval change at 12 months Adverse outcomes were in keeping with previous reports with no cases of occlusive retinal vasculitis Conclusions We found that faricimab inactivated a significant proportion of CNV lesions that had been active using 1st gener ation VEGF inhibitors with a significant extension of the treatment interval A small reduction in VA occurred in switchers and eyes not switched through the same period