Randomized Trial of Biosimilar ABP 938 Compared with Reference Aflibercept in Adults with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of biosimilar ABP 938 compared with the aflibercept reference product (RP) in adults with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Design: A randomized, double-masked, active-controlled, multiregional clinical study.

Participants: A total of 579 patients with active treatment-naïve choroidal neovascularization secondary to nAMD were randomized.

Methods: Evaluable patients (N = 576) received 2 mg of ABP 938 (n = 288) or aflibercept RP (n = 288) by intravitreal injection every 4 weeks for the first 3 doses, then every 8 weeks through week 48. At week 16, the ABP 938 group continued on ABP 938 (n = 273), whereas the aflibercept RP group was rerandomized to continue on aflibercept RP (n = 136) or transition to ABP 938 (n = 134).

Main outcome measures: The primary efficacy end point was the least squares (LS) mean difference in change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), measured by ETDRS letter score, from baseline to week 8. Secondary efficacy end points, safety, and immunogenicity were analyzed descriptively. In a substudy of patients, serum drug concentration profiles were assessed.

Results: Demographic and baseline characteristics and exposure to treatment were similar between groups. Among initially randomized patients, the LS mean difference in change from baseline in BCVA at week 8 between ABP 938 and aflibercept RP was 0.1, with a 2-sided 95% confidence interval (CI: -1.3, 1.5) and 90% CI (-1.1, 1.3) falling within prespecified similarity margins (-3.9, 3.9, and -3, 3, respectively); thus, the primary clinical efficacy end point was met. Secondary efficacy end points (parallel-arm and posttransition) were overall similar between groups. No clinically meaningful differences were observed in the incidence of ocular and nonocular adverse events or events of interest. A low and similar incidence of binding antidrug antibodies was observed in all groups. The substudy confirmed low systemic exposure of free drug concentrations of ABP 938 and aflibercept RP.

Conclusions: This study supports the conclusion of no clinically meaningful differences in efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity between ABP 938 and aflibercept RP in patients with nAMD. Additionally, transitioning from aflibercept RP to APB 938 at week 16 resulted in comparable efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity between treatment groups.

Financial disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.