Efficacy, durability, and safety of faricimab in patients from Asian countries with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: 1-Year subgroup analysis of the TENAYA and LUCERNE trials

PURPOSE: To evaluate 1-year efficacy, durability, and safety of faricimab among patients from Asian countries in the TENAYA/LUCERNE trials of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). METHODS: Treatment-naïve patients with nAMD were randomly assigned (1:1) to faricimab 6.0 mg up to every 16 weeks (Q16W), based on disease activity at weeks 20 and 24, or aflibercept 2.0 mg Q8W. The primary endpoint was change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline averaged over weeks 40, 44, and 48. RESULTS: In the pooled TENAYA/LUCERNE trials, there were 120 (9.0%) and 1209 (91.0%) patients in the Asian (faricimab n = 61; aflibercept n = 59) and non-Asian country (faricimab n = 604; aflibercept n = 605) subgroups, respectively. In the Asian country subgroup, mean BCVA change from baseline at the primary endpoint visits was 7.1 (95% CI, 4.3–9.8) letters with faricimab and 7.2 (4.4–10.0) letters with aflibercept. In non-Asian country patients, mean vision gains were 6.1 (5.2–7.1) and 5.7 (4.8–6.7) letters with faricimab and aflibercept, respectively. At week 48, 59.6% of Asian country patients in the faricimab group achieved Q16W dosing (vs. 43.9% non-Asian) and 91.2% achieved ≥ Q12W dosing (vs. 77.5% non-Asian). Central subfield thickness reductions were similar between the subgroups, with meaningful and similar reductions from baseline observed at the primary endpoint visits and over time. Faricimab was well tolerated in both subgroups, with an acceptable safety profile. CONCLUSION: Consistent with the global TENAYA/LUCERNE findings, faricimab up to Q16W showed sustained visual and anatomical benefits in patients with nAMD from Asian and non-Asian countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03823287 (TENAYA); NCT03823300 (LUCERNE). Date of registration: January 30, 2019. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00417-023-06071-8.