Roche touts positive top-line Phase III results for Vabysmo

Positive top-line results from two global Phase III studies, BALATON and COMINO, evaluating the first and only bispecific antibody for the eye, Vabysmo (faricimab), in macular edema due to branch and central retinal vein occlusion (BRVO and CRVO) were released today by Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX).

Both studies met their primary endpoints, showing that people with macular edema due to BRVO and CRVO receiving Vabysmo injections every four weeks, for up to 24 weeks, achieved non-inferior visual acuity gains compared to those given injections of Bayer’s (BAYN: DE) older drug Eylea (aflibercept) every four weeks.

A key advantage for Vabysmo could be its more flexible dosing regimen. While Eylea is administered once every one to two months, Vabysmo - after a series of four monthly injections- can be administered once every one to four months depending on the patient's vision outcomes and the anatomy. RVO is a vision-threatening condition that impacts 28 million people globally.