Faricimab in the Treatment Landscape for Retinal Diseases: A Review

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections are a mainstay of treatment for retinal vascular diseases such as neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and retinal vein occlusion. While anti-VEGF monotherapy has helped improve visual outcomes in patients with these conditions, the need for frequent injections and follow-up visits, as well as the varying response to therapy are notable shortcomings. To address this, novel therapies have been investigated as adjuncts or alternatives to anti-VEGF monotherapy. One such therapy is faricimab, the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved intravitreal injection designed to target both VEGF-A and angiopoietin-Tie-2 for the treatment of nAMD and DMO. Clinical trial data thus far support that faricimab produces non-inferior visual and anatomical outcomes to standard anti-VEGF therapy, with longer durability, in these diseases. In this review, details regarding faricimab’s molecular development, clinical trial outcomes, and its prospect as the newest drug in the treatment landscape for retinal diseases will be discussed.