Short-term comparison of switching to faricimab from other anti-VEGF agents in neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients: A retrospective study

Abstract

In order to evaluate the short-term outcomes of switching to faricimab from other anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents in Chinese patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). This was a retrospective, observational study involving patients with nAMD who had insufficient response to previous anti-VEGF therapy and were switched to Faricimab. Best-corrected visual acuity, central macular thickness, and pigment epithelium detachment (PED) changes were recorded at baseline and after one month of treatment. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests to compare outcomes before and after the switch. This study included 35 eyes from 35 patients (mean age 69.74 ± 11.22 years) who were switched to Faricimab after an average of 6.27 ± 3.41 prior anti-VEGF injections for nAMD. While best-corrected visual acuity showed no significant improvement after one month (P = .06), significant reductions were observed in mean central macular thickness (P < .001), PED height (P < .001), PED volume (P < .001), presence of subretinal fluid (P = .03), and intraretinal fluid (P = .04). Additionally, the presence of PED decreased from 60% at baseline to 45.71% after one month (P = .02). No new safety concerns were identified during the study period. Switching to faricimab from other anti-VEGF agents resulted in significant short-term improvements in both visual and anatomical outcomes, including reduced central macular thickness, pigment epithelium detachment, and subretinal and intraretinal fluid. These findings suggest that Faricimab may offer a beneficial alternative for patients with an insufficient response to prior anti-VEGF therapies. Long-term follow-up studies are necessary to confirm the durability and long-term benefits of this treatment.