International Journal of Retina and Vitreous (Feb 2023)

Switching to brolucizumab: injection intervals and visual, anatomical and safety outcomes at 12 and 18 months in real-world eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration

  • Joseph M. Coney,
  • Ryan Zubricky,
  • Samriddhi Buxy Sinha,
  • Nina Sonbolian,
  • Lujia Zhou,
  • Thomas P. Hull,
  • Shawn A. Lewis,
  • David G. Miller,
  • Michael A. Novak,
  • Scott D. Pendergast,
  • Hang Pham,
  • Sean M. Platt,
  • Llewelyn J. Rao,
  • Jerome P. Schartman,
  • Lawrence J. Singerman,
  • Richard Donkor,
  • Margaret Fink,
  • Jasmyne McCoy,
  • Helene Karcher

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40942-023-00445-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Background The anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection interval influences treatment burden and compliance in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). This real-world study investigates visual acuity (VA), injection-interval extension, central macular thickness (CMT) and safety in nAMD eyes switched to the anti-VEGF agent brolucizumab and followed for up to 18 months. Methods This retrospective study included patients with nAMD who were switched from other anti-VEGF agents to brolucizumab only. Patient eyes were grouped into three nested cohorts with the overall cohort receiving ≥ 1 brolucizumab injection, the second receiving ≥ 3 brolucizumab injections with a follow-up period of ≥ 12 months and the third cohort receiving ≥ 3 brolucizumab injections with a follow-up period of ≥ 18 months. Study endpoints included changes from baseline at 12 or 18 months in VA, injection intervals, and CMT. Sub-group analyses were conducted using baseline injection interval length or baseline VA as qualifiers. Results Overall, 482 eyes received ≥ 1 brolucizumab injection; 174 eyes received ≥ 3 brolucizumab injections with ≥ 12 months of follow-up, and 95 eyes received ≥ 3 brolucizumab injections with ≥ 18 months of follow-up. VA (mean [95% confidence intervals]) remained stable relative to baseline after 12 months (− 1.1 [− 3.7, 1.6] letters; p = 0.42) and 18 months (0.0 [− 3.1, 3.1] letters; p = 0.98) of brolucizumab treatment, respectively, and pre-switch injection intervals or baseline VA had no notable effect. Following the switch to brolucizumab, injection intervals were extended from baseline to month 12 by 26.9 (19.7, 34.0) days (p < 0.0001), and eyes with pre-switch injection intervals < 8 weeks were able to have their injection intervals extended by 23.6 days longer than eyes with pre-switch injection intervals ≥ 8 weeks. At 18 months, injection intervals were extended by 36.3 (25.6, 46.9) days (p < 0.0001) compared to baseline. Following switch to brolucizumab, CMT was reduced at both 12 and 18 months (12 months: − 35.2 (− 51.7, − 18.8) µm, p < 0.0001; 18 months: − 38.9 (− 54.3, − 22.0) µm, p < 0.0001). Intraocular inflammation-related adverse events were reported in 4.6% of brolucizumab-treated eyes. Conclusions This real-world study demonstrates that injection intervals may be significantly extended with maintained vision and reduced CMT in nAMD eyes switching to brolucizumab therapy from other anti-VEGFs.

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