Data demonstrating the far-reaching potential of OPT-302 (Opthea) has been presented at the Bascom Palmer 19th annual Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2022 Conference. The presentation, entitled OPT-302 Combination Therapy with Ranibizumab for Treatment of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy, was held virtually on Saturday, 12 February, 2022, and appeared in a session highlighting ‘Emerging and Current Therapies for Exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD)’. Professor Gemmy Cheung MBBS, FRCOphth, FAMS, MCI, Head and Senior Consultant, Medical Retina Department, Singapore National Eye Center, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, presented.
Speaking of the findings, Dr Megan Baldwin, Opthea’s Chief Executive Officer said “Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a subtype of AMD that is particularly prevalent among Asian populations and demonstrates variable response to anti-VEGF-A therapy. As one of the most common forms of wet AMD globally, we are excited by the results in PCV patients that further demonstrate the potential of OPT-302 to be a truly differentiated treatment option that, when used in combination, may offer patients improved vision outcomes over standard of care anti-VEGF-A monotherapy.”
These promising results demonstrate that patients receiving OPT-302 combination therapy showed meaningful improvements in vision over those receiving monotherapy
The data presented was a prespecified subgroup analysis of a Phase 2b dose-ranging study of intravitreal OPT-302 in combination with ranibizumab, compared with ranibizumab alone, in participants with neovascular (wet) AMD. Sixty-six participants (18%) with PCV out of a total study population of 366 were included in the analysis. Eyes were randomised to receive a total of six intravitreal injections, once every four weeks, of either ranibizumab (0.5 mg) plus OPT-302 (0.5 mg or 2 mg) or ranibizumab plus sham.
OPT-302 combination therapy had a safety profile consistent with standard of care anti-VEGF-A monotherapy while demonstrating greater improvements in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and less retinal fluid compared to ranibizumab monotherapy. The +6.7 letters comparative superiority of 2mg OPT-302 combination therapy over ranibizumab (p = 0.0253) was accompanied by a greater improvement in secondary vision and anatomical outcome measures at week 24.
“These promising results demonstrate that patients receiving OPT-302 combination therapy showed meaningful improvements in vision over those receiving monotherapy,” commented Dr Cheung. “This analysis further supports the potential added value of OPT-302 combination therapy for patients with wet AMD. We look forward to continuing to partner with Opthea to investigate the safety and efficacy of OPT-302 combination therapy targeting PCV.”
Dr Baldwin added “Vision gains in patients with PCV are consistent with the statistically superior visual acuity gains following OPT-302 combination therapy observed in the total Phase 2b study population. Additional data on PCV lesions will be obtained from Opthea’s ongoing Phase 3 ShORe and COAST trials, which are also expected to enrol a number of treatment naïve patients with PCV.”
Additional information on Opthea’s technology and the Phase 3 pivotal clinical trials can be found at www.opthea.com and at ClinicalTrials.gov (ShORe trial, ID#: NCT04757610; COAST trial, ID#: NCT04757636).
