Merck's remigromig meets main goal in diabetic eye trial
The drug, tested against ranibizumab in a Phase 2b/3 study, works by a different mechanism than existing treatments for diabetic macular edema.
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Merck said its experimental drug remigromig met the primary endpoint of a late-stage trial in diabetic macular edema, a condition that damages vision in people with diabetes.
The study, known as BRUNELLO, is a Phase 2b/3 trial comparing remigromig with ranibizumab, sold as Lucentis, according to Retina Today. Its primary endpoints are safety and the change in visual acuity from the start of the trial to week 52.
Remigromig, also known as MK-3000, is a tetravalent, tri-specific antibody given as an eye injection that activates the Wnt signaling pathway to repair the blood-retinal barrier, Merck said in a press release announcing the trial. That sets it apart from current diabetic macular edema drugs, which work by blocking a protein called VEGF. Merck has described the drug as a potential first non-VEGF option for patients who stop responding to anti-VEGF treatment, according to remarks reported by Investing.com from a Wells Fargo healthcare conference. Merck gained the drug through its purchase of EyeBio, a deal that could be worth up to $3 billion including $1.3 billion paid upfront, Ophthalmology Times reported.
A successful result broadens Merck's eye-disease pipeline and lends support to the Wnt-pathway approach behind remigromig, in a condition that affects millions of diabetics with few good options. It adds to Merck's growth drivers outside its oncology business, though the diabetic macular edema market is smaller than the company's largest franchises.