Genentech: FDA Approves Genentech’s Susvimo as the First and Only Continuous Delivery Treatment for the Leading Cause of Diabetes-Related Blindness Dienstag, 04. Februar 2025 - 20:30

FDA Approves Genentech’s Susvimo as the First and Only Continuous Delivery Treatment for the Leading Cause of Diabetes-Related Blindness

Susvimo is the first and only continuous delivery treatment that offers an alternative to regular eye injections to treat diabetic macular edema (DME)

With as few as two treatments per year, Susvimo may help people with DME maintain their vision

Approval marks the second indication for Susvimo in addition to wet, or neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME), a leading cause of vision loss in adults with diabetes, affecting more than 29 million adults worldwide. Susvimo is the first and only FDA-approved treatment shown to maintain vision in people with DME with fewer treatments than standard-of-care eye injections. Susvimo is now available to U.S. retina specialists and their patients with DME.

“Susvimo presents a unique, convenient treatment alternative to routine eye injections for people with a potentially blinding diabetic eye condition,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “As the global prevalence of this condition continues to grow, today's FDA approval for Susvimo reflects our dedication to innovation and enhancing the patient experience.”

“I am excited to offer Susvimo to my patients living with diabetic macular edema who want an option with longer intervals between treatments due to their busy personal and professional lives,” said vitreoretinal surgeon, Jordan Graff, M.D., Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, Arizona. “Having completed dozens of Susvimo surgeries in my patients with wet, or neovascular, age-related macular degeneration, I’ve seen firsthand how Susvimo, with its continuous delivery of medication, can help preserve vision with fewer treatments. I look forward to broadening Susvimo’s impact to even more patients in my clinic.”

The FDA decision was based on positive one-year results from the Phase III Pagoda study, which showed that Susvimo demonstrated sustained vision improvements in people with DME, with safety consistent with the known safety profile for Susvimo. In Pagoda, people with DME who received Susvimo refilled every six months achieved non-inferior improvements in vision compared with those receiving monthly 0.5 mg ranibizumab intravitreal injections (9.6 eye chart letters, similar to gaining two more lines on an eye chart, compared to 9.4 letters, respectively). 

Susvimo provides continuous delivery of a customized formulation of ranibizumab via the Port Delivery Platform, while other currently approved treatments may require eye injections as often as once per month. Susvimo was first approved by the FDA for the treatment of wet, or neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2021. 

Genentech is committed to helping people access the medicines they are prescribed and will be offering comprehensive services for people prescribed Susvimo to help minimize barriers to access and reimbursement. Patients can call 833-EYE-GENE for more information. For people who qualify, Genentech offers patient assistance programs through Genentech Access Solutions. More information is also available at (866) 4ACCESS/(866) 422-2377 or https://www.Genentech-Access.com..

Visit https://www.Susvimo.com for additional information.

About Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
Affecting approximately 750,000 people in the U.S. and 29 million people globally, diabetic macular edema (DME) is a vision-threatening retinal condition associated with blindness and decreased quality of life when left untreated. DME occurs when damaged blood vessels in the retina leak into and cause swelling in the macula – the central area of the retina responsible for the sharp vision needed for reading and driving. The number of people with DME is expected to grow as the prevalence of diabetes increases.

About the Pagoda Study
Pagoda (NCT04108156) is a multicenter, randomized, active treatment-controlled, non-inferiority U.S.-based Phase III study evaluating the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL refilled every six months compared with monthly ranibizumab 0.5 mg intravitreal injections, in 634 people with diabetic macular edema. Participants were randomized 3:2 to receive either Susvimo refilled every six months or continued monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections. In the Susvimo arm, participants received four loading doses of intravitreal ranibizumab before Susvimo implantation at week 16. The primary endpoint of the study is a change in best-corrected visual acuity score (the best distance vision a person can achieve – including with correction such as glasses – when reading letters on an eye chart) from baseline at the average of week 60 and week 64. Following primary analysis, participants who were initially randomized to intravitreal injections received Susvimo, with refills every 24 weeks. 

About Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for intravitreal use via ocular implant
Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for intravitreal use via ocular implant is a refillable implant surgically inserted into the eye during a one-time, outpatient procedure. Susvimo continuously delivers a customized formulation of ranibizumab over time. Susvimo is indicated for intravitreal use via the Susvimo eye implant only. Ranibizumab is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor designed to bind to and inhibit VEGF-A, a protein that has been shown to play a critical role in the formation of new blood vessels and the leakiness of the vessels. Susvimo was previously called the Port Delivery System with ranibizumab in the U.S.

The customized formulation of ranibizumab delivered by Susvimo is different from the ranibizumab intravitreal injection, a medicine marketed as Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection), which is approved to treat wet, or neovascular, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other retinal diseases. Lucentis was first approved for wet AMD by the FDA in 2006. Genentech is also developing DutaFabs – the next generation of bispecific antibodies designed for increased efficacy and durability – tailored for continuous delivery via the Port Delivery implant.

Susvimo Indication
SUSVIMO (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for intravitreal use via ocular implant is indicated for the treatment of patients with Neovascular (wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) who have previously responded to at least two intravitreal injections of a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor inhibitor medication.

Susvimo Important Safety Information
WARNING: ENDOPHTHALMITIS
The SUSVIMO implant has been associated with an up to 3-fold higher rate of endophthalmitis than monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab. 

Warnings and Precautions:
The SUSVIMO implant and the procedures associated with inserting, filling, refilling, and (if medically necessary) removing the implant can cause other serious side effects, including:

• An eye infection (endophthalmitis). Endophthalmitis is an infection of the eyeball that can cause permanent damage to your eye, including blindness. Endophthalmitis requires urgent (same-day) medical or surgical treatment.
• A missing layer on top of the white part of the eye (conjunctival erosion). Conjunctival erosion is an area that becomes missing (defect) in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may result in exposure of the implant. Conjunctival erosion may require surgical treatment.
• An opening of the layer that covers the white part of the eye (conjunctival retraction). Conjunctival retraction is an opening or gaping in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye, which may cause the implant to be exposed. Conjunctival retraction may require surgical treatment.
• Tear and separation of layers of the retina (rhegmatogenous retinal detachment). Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment is a tear and separation of one of the layers of the retina in the back of the eye that senses light. Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment requires surgical treatment.
• Implant movement (implant dislocation): This movement may require surgical treatment to correct.
• Implant damage: Damage to the implant that prevents continued treatment (refills) with SUSVIMO. If the implant is not able to be properly refilled, a patient’s wet AMD may be inadequately treated and a physician may remove the implant and/or change the treatment. 
• Bleeding (vitreous hemorrhage): Vitreous hemorrhage is bleeding within the gel-like substance (vitreous) inside of your eye. This may require an additional eye surgery.
• Bump on top of the white layer of the eye (conjunctival bleb): conjunctival bleb is a small bulge in the layer (conjunctiva) that covers the white part of the eye where the implant is inserted. This may be due to leakage of fluid from the inside of the eye. This may require medical or surgical treatment.
• Temporary decrease in vision after the SUSVIMO procedure.

Who should not receive SUSVIMO?

• Patients who have an infection in or around their eye, have active inflammation in their eye, or have had an allergic reaction to ranibizumab or any of its ingredients in SUSVIMO in the past.

Information for patients who are of childbearing potential

• If patients are pregnant, think that they might be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if SUSVIMO will harm an unborn baby. Patients should use birth control (contraception) during treatment with SUSVIMO and for 12 months after the last refill of SUSVIMO.
• If patients are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. SUSVIMO is not recommended during breastfeeding. It is not known if SUSVIMO passes into breast milk.

Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions were blood on the white of the eye, redness in the white of the eye, sensitivity to light), and eye pain. These are not all the possible side effects of SUSVIMO.

You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. You may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

Please see additional Important Safety Information in the full SUSVIMO Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING or visit https://www.Susvimo.com.

About Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection)
Lucentis® is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor designed to bind to and inhibit VEGF-A, a protein that is believed to play a critical role in the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) and the hyperpermeability (leakiness) of the vessels.

Lucentis is FDA-approved for the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO), diabetic macular edema (DME), diabetic retinopathy (DR) and myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV).

Lucentis was developed by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. The company retains commercial rights in the United States and Novartis has exclusive commercial rights for the rest of the world.

Outside the United States, Lucentis is approved in more than 120 countries to treat adult patients with wet AMD, and for the treatment of visual impairment due to DME, due to macular edema secondary to both branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), and due to choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Lucentis Important Safety Information
Lucentis is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections or known hypersensitivity to ranibizumab or any of the excipients in Lucentis. Hypersensitivity reactions may manifest as severe intraocular inflammation.

Intravitreal injections, including those with Lucentis, have been associated with endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, and iatrogenic traumatic cataract.

Increases in intraocular pressure have been noted both pre-injection and post-injection with Lucentis.

Although there was a low rate of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) observed in the Lucentis clinical trials, there is a potential risk of ATEs following intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors. ATEs are defined as nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or vascular death (including deaths of unknown cause).

Fatal events occurred more frequently in patients with DME and DR at baseline treated monthly with Lucentis compared with control. Although the rate of fatal events was low and included causes of death typical of patients with advanced diabetic complications, a potential relationship between these events and intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors cannot be excluded.

Retinal vasculitis and/or retinal vascular occlusion have been reported. Patients should be instructed to report any change in vision without delay.

In the Lucentis Phase III clinical trials, the most common ocular side effects included conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, vitreous floaters, and increased intraocular pressure. The most common non-ocular side effects included nasopharyngitis, anemia, nausea, and cough.

You may report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or http://www.fda.gov/medwatch. You may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555. 

For additional safety information, please see Lucentis full Prescribing Information, available here: http://www.gene.com/download/pdf/lucentis_prescribing.pdf.

About Genentech in Ophthalmology
Genentech is researching and developing new treatments for people living with a range of eye diseases that cause significant visual impairment and blindness, including wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), diabetic retinopathy (DR), geographic atrophy (GA) and other retinal diseases. 

About Genentech
Founded more than 40 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. The company, a member of the Roche Group, has headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional information about the company, please visit https://www.gene.com.