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news.30-40% patients benefit from an anti-VEGF therapy
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Switzerland-based biotechnology company ESBATech has announced encouraging preclinical results, which demonstrate efficacy of topical ESBA105, an antitumor necrosis factor single-chain antibody fragment, in a model for choroidal neovascularization.
In wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), choroidal neovascularization (CNV) causes the formation of new blood vessels growing behind the retina, which can lead to bleeding, scarring and sight loss in patients. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies are used in AMD; however, only 30-40% of patients benefit from an anti-VEGF therapy with improvement in visual acuity.
ESBATech said that its results confirm that CNV is not exclusively driven by VEGF, but also by inflammatory mediators such as antitumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha. Findings from this study show that ESBA105, when applied as eye drops, can significantly reduce CNV.
The preclinical study was designed to evaluate the pathophysiological relevance of TNF, and the effect of topical ESBA105 in a primate model for CNV and compare its efficacy against an intravitreal injection of the marketed TNF antagonist, Humira and VEGF antagonist, Avastin, which have both shown efficacy in this model.
The model selected for this study measures severity of lesions in the macula, which are generated by photocoagulation using a laser. The surrogate injury model for AMD has been proven successful in predicting therapies that are efficacious like Lucentis in the treatment of AMD.
Dominik Escher, CEO of ESBATech, said: These exciting results show a role and potential for ESBA105 in wet AMD. A combination therapy with an injectable VEGF inhibitor, plus our topical TNF inhibitor might lead to better efficacy and visual improvements than a single therapy. We have started several clinical trials with ESBA105 including acute anterior uveitis, and we will expand the development of ESBA105 into several attractive indications with a high unmet medical need.