Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Bayer HealthCare today announced that in the Phase 3 VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME trials of EYLEA® (aflibercept) Injection for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME), EYLEA 2 milligrams (mg) dosed monthly and EYLEA 2 mg dosed every two months (after 5 initial monthly injections) achieved the primary endpoint of a significantly greater improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline compared to laser photocoagulation at 52 weeks. Both EYLEA treatment arms demonstrated similar improvements in BCVA.
Based on discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Regeneron now expects to submit an application for U.S. marketing approval for the treatment of DME in 2013, approximately one year ahead of the previously announced timeline. Bayer Healthcare plans to submit an application for marketing approval for the treatment of DME in Europe in 2013.
The VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME trials are similarly designed, randomized, double-masked, active control trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EYLEA in patients with DME. Patients in both trials were randomized to receive either EYLEA 2 milligrams (mg) monthly, EYLEA 2 mg every two months (after 5 initial monthly injections), or the comparator treatment of laser photocoagulation.
"We are pleased with these positive data in another potentially important indication for EYLEA," said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph. D., Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron and President of Regeneron Laboratories. "Diabetes is a growing disease worldwide and DME is a major cause of vision loss in people with diabetic retinopathy. We hope to be able to offer a new treatment option for patients suffering from this potentially blinding retinal disease."
In the VIVID-DME trial, after one year patients receiving EYLEA 2 mg monthly had a mean change from baseline in BCVA of 10.5 letters (p<0.0001 compared to laser) and patients receiving EYLEA 2 mg every other month (after 5 initial monthly injections) had a mean change from baseline in BCVA of 10.7 letters (p<0.0001 compared to laser), compared to patients receiving laser photocoagulation who had a mean change from baseline in BCVA of 1.2 letters.
In the VISTA-DME trial, after one year patients receiving EYLEA 2 mg monthly had a mean change from baseline in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 12.5 letters (p<0.0001 compared to laser) and patients receiving EYLEA 2 mg every other month (after 5 initial monthly injections) had a mean change from baseline in BCVA of 10.7 letters (p<0.0001 compared to laser), compared to patients receiving laser photocoagulation who had a mean change from baseline in BCVA of 0.2 letters.
In these trials, EYLEA was generally well tolerated with a similar overall incidence of adverse events (AEs), ocular serious AEs, and non-ocular serious AEs across the treatment groups and the laser control group. Arterial thromboembolic events as defined by the Anti-Platelet Trialists' Collaboration (non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and vascular death) also occurred at similar rates across the treatment groups and the laser control group. AEs were typical of those seen in other studies in patients with diabetes receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy. The most frequent ocular treatment emergent AEs (TEAEs) observed in the VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME trials included conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, and vitreous floaters. The most frequent non-ocular TEAEs included hypertension and nasopharyngitis, which occurred with similar frequency in the treatment groups and the laser control group.
Full one-year data from the VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME trials will be presented at upcoming medical conferences. Both trials are planned to continue up to 148 weeks.
EYLEA was approved in the United States for the treatment of neovascular (wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in November 2011 and for Macular Edema following Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO) in September 2012. EYLEA has also been approved in Europe, Japan, Australia, and in several other countries for use in wet AMD.
Bayer HealthCare and Regeneron are collaborating on the global development of EYLEA. Regeneron maintains exclusive rights to EYLEA in the United States. Bayer HealthCare licensed the exclusive marketing rights outside the United States, where the companies share equally the profits from sales of EYLEA, except for Japan where Regeneron receives a royalty on net sales.
Global gap in diabetes prevalence and treatment has widened since 1990