Merck’s Experimental Drug Meets Key Goal in Eye Trial
The company said it was continuing to assess the findings.
NEW YORK: (News Desk) – US pharmaceutical giant Merck said its experimental drug Remigromig met the primary goal of a 52-week clinical trial involving patients with diabetic macular edema, a diabetes-related eye condition that can impair vision.
According to Reuters, the trial included 984 patients. Merck said Remigromig achieved the required standard for improvement in visual acuity and was found to be non-inferior to Roche’s established treatment ranibizumab.
Remigromig is an experimental injection designed to activate the Wnt pathway, which is involved in cell growth and tissue repair. The treatment is intended to help restore the protective lining of retinal blood vessels and reduce fluid leakage into the eye.
Diabetic macular edema occurs when diabetes damages blood vessels in the retina, causing fluid to leak into the macula. The resulting swelling can affect sharp, central vision and may lead to vision loss.
Analysts said the drug could represent a new treatment approach for retinal vascular diseases if it ultimately receives regulatory approval. However, they noted that detailed trial findings and additional safety data will be needed to determine its overall potential.
Merck said Remigromig was generally well tolerated, although treatment discontinuations linked to certain retinal vascular complications were higher among patients receiving the experimental drug than those treated with ranibizumab. The company said it was continuing to assess the findings.
BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said more comprehensive trial results and supporting data would be necessary to assess the drug’s commercial prospects, while safety would remain a key consideration.
Current treatments for diabetic macular edema include anti-VEGF injections, laser therapy and steroid injections or implants. Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF medicine that helps reduce abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage.
Merck is also evaluating Remigromig for other retinal conditions, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
The company plans to present the latest findings at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology next month.
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