Real-World Outcomes with Complement Inhibitors for Geographic Atrophy: A Comparative Study of Pegacetacoplan versus...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Current treatments aim to slow GA progression and preserve visual function.
• Real-world data is crucial for understanding treatment effectiveness beyond clinical trials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the real-world effectiveness of intravitreal avacincaptad pegol (IVA) versus intravitreal pegacetacoplan (IVP) for GA secondary to AMD.
• To assess visual and anatomical outcomes at 12 months post-treatment initiation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparative study of 112 patients with GA secondary to AMD.
• Patients received either IVA or IVP treatment at two community ophthalmology practices.
• Outcomes measured included changes in GA lesion size, visual acuity, and incidence of exudation at 12 months.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed between IVA and IVP in GA lesion size change (p=0.61) or visual acuity change (p=0.57) at 12 months.
• The incidence of exudation was also similar between the two treatment groups (p=0.66).
• Patients treated with IVA received significantly more injections than those treated with IVP (9.05 vs. 5.96; p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• Both IVA and IVP demonstrate comparable visual and anatomical outcomes for GA at 12 months in a real-world setting.
• Intravitreal pegacetacoplan (IVP) may require fewer injections compared to intravitreal avacincaptad pegol (IVA) to achieve similar results.
• Further research is warranted to compare the safety and efficacy profiles of IVA and IVP.