Phase II Combination Steroid and Anti-VEGF for Persistent DME

Summary

Although anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy is generally effective as treatment for center-involved diabetic macular edema (DME), a substantial proportion of anti-VEGF-treated eyes with DME do not achieve vision of 20/20 or complete resolution of retinal thickening. Indeed, over 50% of ranibizumab-treated eyes did not achieve a 2 or more line improvement in visual acuity from baseline at 2 years in Protocol I, a previous DRCR.net (Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network) study. Furthermore, 27% of ranibizumab-treated eyes still had central subfield (CSF) thickness on time-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) ≥ 300 at 1 year, and more than 40% of ranibizumab-treated eyes did not achieve complete resolution of retinal thickening (\< 250 microns) by 2 years. Thus, there is a need for alternative or additional treatments that will improve vision by reducing retinal edema in eyes with persistent DME following previous anti-VEGF therapy. Intravitreal steroid is not as efficacious as ranibizumab in eyes with DME overall, but it has been shown to have a positive effect for DME in some eyes and might add benefit in eyes that are already receiving anti-VEGF.

The main objective of this study is to assess the short-term effects of combination steroid+anti-VEGF therapy on visual acuity and retinal thickness on OCT in comparison with that of continued anti-VEGF therapy alone in eyes with persistent central-involved DME and visual acuity impairment despite previous anti-VEGF treatment. This study will provide important information for the design of a future confirmatory phase III clinical trial on the efficacy of combination steroid and anti-VEGF in eyes with persistent DME and vision impairment following previous anti-VEGF therapy. The primary outcome for efficacy will be the mean change in visual acuity at 24 weeks.

Each study eye is required to complete a 12-week run-in phase. The run-in phase will identify study eyes that truly have persistent DME despite anti-VEGF therapy by requiring an additional 3 injections while also collecting standardized visual acuity and OCT measurements. At the enrollment, 4-week and 8-week visits of the run-in phase, enrolled eyes will receive an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab 3mg. Then at the 12-week run-in visit, if the eye still has persistent DME, it will be randomized to receive either intravitreal sham+intravitreal ranibizumab 0.3 or intravitreal dexamethasone+intravitreal ranibizumab 0.3 injections. The randomized study duration is 24 week, during which a protocol visit takes place every month. The combination injections of sham+ranibizumab or dexamethasone +ranibizumab will be given at the randomization visit (baseline) and at the 12-week visit after randomization. In between, an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab only will be given to study eyes at the 4, 8, 16 and 20 week visits.

Conditions

• Diabetic Macular Edema

Interventions

DRUG

intravitreal ranibizumab 0.3 mg

Intravitreal injection of 0.3mg ranibizumab performed on the day of randomization and up to every 4 weeks using defined treatment criteria

DRUG

dexamethasone intravitreal implant

The dexamethasone intravitreal injection will be given within 0-8 days of the ranibizumab injection. If defined criteria are met, a second dexamethasone injection in combination with intravitreal ranibizumab (within 0-8 days) will be given at the 12 week visit. If the injections are given consecutively on the same day, the ranibizumab injection must be given first.

PROCEDURE

Sham injection

No injection is given. It is a sham injection to keep the participant masked. The sham injection will be given within 0-8 days of the ranibizumab injection. If the injections are given consecutively on the same day, the sham injection must be given first.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Allergan

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Genentech, Inc.

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• National Eye Institute (NEI)

  collaborator NIH

• Jaeb Center for Health Research

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-02-28

Primary Completion

2017-06-05

Completion

2017-06-05

Countries

• United States

Study Locations