Oculgen has begun a study of an investigational drug called OCUL101 as a possible treatment for neovascular AMD. An investigational drug is one that has not been approved by regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States (US), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the European Union (EU), or others. A comparator drug, Eylea® (aflibercept), will also be used in this study. Aflibercept is approved by regulatory agencies to treat neovascular AMD. VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor A) is a protein released by the body in response to certain conditions that encourages the eye to form new blood vessels that are weak and leaky. This can lead to leakage of fluid and swelling in the macula; the part of the eye that helps you see clearly. C5 (component 5) is a part of the immune system released when there is ongoing damage to the eye such as when you have neovascular AMD. When it becomes too active in the eye, it can cause inflammation and further damage, leading to thinning of the back of the eye, a condition called geographic atrophy (GA). OCUL101 works by blocking both VEGF-A and C5. The main purpose of this study is to see how safe and tolerable OCUL101 is and how well OCUL101 works in participants when compared with aflibercept. From here on, OCUL101 and aflibercept will be referred to as the "study drug." This study is divided into 2 periods: a screening period and a study treatment period. During each study period, you will have 1 or more visits with your study doctor at the center. The screening visit will last about 3 hours, and all other visits will last about 3 to 6 hours. This study has 2 Parts. Part A uses the 10.4 mg dose of OCUL101 and Part B uses 2 doses of OCUL101 (6.5 mg and 10.4 mg) to compare with 2 mg of aflibercept. Before any study-related tests and procedures can be done, you will be asked to read and sign this informed consent form, and then the study will begin with a screening visit. The purpose of the screening visit is to decide whether or not you meet the requirements to take part in this study. If you do not meet the requirements, the study doctor will explain why and will discuss other treatment options with you. If the study doctor decides that you meet all of the requirements to be in this study, you will be assigned to either Part A or randomly assigned (like drawing straws) to one of the groups in Part B. You will then receive one of the following study treatment plans: * Part A, 10.4 mg of OCUL101 * Part B, Group 1, 6.5 mg of OCUL101 + as needed study treatments of 10.4 mg OCUL101 * Part B, Group 2, 10.4 mg of OCUL101 * Part B, Group 3, 10.4 mg of OCUL101 * Part B, Group 4, 2 mg of aflibercept You will receive 3 injections between Day 1 and Week 8, after which you may or may not receive additional injections every 8 weeks until Week 36. After you receive the set number of injections for your Part/group, you may receive additional injections during the study if the study doctor thinks it will help you. You will have an 80% (4 in 5) chance of receiving OCUL101 and a 20% (1 in 5) chance of receiving aflibercept. This is a double-masked study, which means you and some of the people involved in the study will not be told if you are receiving OCUL101 or aflibercept. However, this information will be given to the study doctor if it becomes necessary for your safety. The eye receiving the study drug is called "the study eye". If the other eye, called the "fellow eye", needs treatment with anti-VEGF therapy, you can discuss this with your study doctor. This treatment may be provided during your study visit, if appropriate. Description of the procedures and assessments * Medical history: Includes questions about any diseases, chronic or ongoing conditions, surgeries, cancer history, reproductive status, and smoking history. Any information about current or previous medicines will also be recorded. * Demographics: Information to be collected includes age, sex, and race/ethnicity. * Physical examination: Physical examination of the chest, abdomen, head and neck, and musculoskeletal system will be done as per your study doctor's preferred methods. * Eye examinations: Throughout the study you will have several eye tests. Both the front and back of your eye will be examined and some of these eye exams may occur in both eyes. Eye drops may be used to make your pupils (center part of your eye) look larger (dilated) and easier to look through. * BCVA: You will sit in front of an eye chart to read the letters and test the sharpness and accuracy of your vision. * Contrast sensitivity: You will sit in front of an eye chart read the letters where the letters are lighter and darker shades. * Color Vision Testing: Your vision will be tested to see how well you see color by having you look at color vision charts. * Assessment of metamorphopsia: Metamorphopsia is when you see lines as wavy or bent instead of straight.
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Part A: Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]).
Timeframe: From enrollment to the end of treatment up to week 36, followed by assessment visits every 8 weeks and PRN treatment until the end of study (Week 96)
Part B: Change from baseline in mean BCVA score.
Timeframe: From enrollment followed by injection and assessments visits every 8 weeks and PRN treatment until the end of study (Week 96).
Juliette Bridges, Sr. Director, Oculgen Biomedical