Brolucizumab as good as aflibercept for improving clinical outcomes in Diabetic Macular Edema Outcomes: JAMA

Written By : Jacinthlyn Sylvia |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2023-11-19T17:00:02+05:30 | Updated On 19 Nov 2023 5:00 PM IST

A recent 52-week phase 3 clinical trial published in the Journal of American Medical Association compared the efficacy and safety of brolucizumab against aflibercept to enhance treatment options for diabetic macular edema (DME). Regardless the effectiveness of existing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies, there is a constant need for treatments that can improve response rates and reduce injection frequency.

This study conducted with treatment-naive adults and those who had previously received anti-VEGF therapy did reveal intriguing results. Participants were randomized 2:1 to receive either brolucizumab (6 mg) or aflibercept (2 mg) via intravitreal injection every 4 weeks.

At the heart of the trial was the change in best-corrected visual acuity at week 52. Brolucizumab demonstrated noninferiority to aflibercept, showcasing a 12.2-letter improvement compared to aflibercept's 11.0-letter improvement.

Crucially, brolucizumab exhibited superiority in several aspects. The proportion of eyes without subretinal and intraretinal fluid was significantly higher in the brolucizumab group (41.6%) compared to aflibercept (22.2%). Additionally, the mean central subfield thickness change from baseline favored brolucizumab (-237.8 μm) over aflibercept (-196.5 μm).

Importantly, the trial found that brolucizumab's safety profile was comparable to aflibercept, with no new safety concerns identified. Incidences of intraocular inflammation, retinal vasculitis, and retinal vascular occlusion were monitored and were within an acceptable range.

The results of this trial mark a significant stride in DME treatment, suggesting that brolucizumab could offer a viable alternative for patients. While both drugs demonstrated similar visual outcomes, the superior anatomic improvements seen with brolucizumab indicate a potential edge in addressing the complexities of DME.

Source:

Singh, R. P., Barakat, M. R., Ip, M. S., Wykoff, C. C., Eichenbaum, D. A., Joshi, S., Warrow, D., Sheth, V. S., Stefanickova, J., Kim, Y. S., He, F., Cho, G. E., Wang, Y., & Emanuelli, A. (2023). Efficacy and Safety of Brolucizumab for Diabetic Macular Edema. In JAMA Ophthalmology. American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.5248

JAMA OphthalmologyBrolucizumabdiabetic macular edema

Source : JAMA Ophthalmology

Jacinthlyn Sylvia

Neuroscience Masters graduate

Jacinthlyn Sylvia, a Neuroscience Master's graduate from Chennai has worked extensively in deciphering the neurobiology of cognition and motor control in aging. She also has spread-out exposure to Neurosurgery from her Bachelor’s. She is currently involved in active Neuro-Oncology research. She is an upcoming neuroscientist with a fiery passion for writing. Her news cover at Medical Dialogues feature recent discoveries and updates from the healthcare and biomedical research fields. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751