ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07249216M-VIVAUpdated Sep 16, 2026

Identification of Molecular Signals in Vitreous Humor Associated With Suboptimal Response to Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Inhibition in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration (nAMD) Within a Clinical Trial Setting

An interventional study of Faricimab and Ranibizumab in Age Related Macular Degeneration, sponsored by Singapore National Eye Centre. Recruiting at 1 site in Singapore. Open to participants aged 50 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-16.

Sponsored by Singapore National Eye Centre · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 3 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Jul 2025, registered Nov 2025).
  • Started Jul 2025; still recruiting 1 year 3 months later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
117
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
50 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), also called wet AMD, can cause serious vision loss. While anti-VEGF (anti Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) treatments such as ranibizumab help many patients, about 20 40% have a suboptimal response. In this study, the investigators want to identify other factors (beyond VEGF) that might be driving the disease in these non-responding patients. By looking at samples from inside the eye (vitreous humor) and comparing "good responders" to "suboptimal responders", the investigators hope to find potential new treatment approaches or biomarkers for nAMD.

Read the detailed description

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a leading cause of severe vision loss worldwide. Although intravitreal anti-VEGF injections have markedly improved outcomes, 20-40% of patients show a suboptimal response, indicating the involvement of additional molecular pathways. This study investigates whether profiling the vitreous humor can reveal alternative angiogenic pathways-beyond VEGF-that drive persistent disease. If such pathways are identified, switching from anti-VEGF monotherapy (ranibizumab) to a bispecific anti-VEGF/anti-Ang2 agent (faricimab) may improve disease control and provide better vision outcomes for patients with inadequate response to standard therapy.

Additionally, the dosage regimens (monthly injections over 24 weeks), and selection of treatment-naïve nAMD patients will minimize confounding variables. This approach ensures a clear comparison between good responders and suboptimal responders. By correlating clinical/imaging outcomes with vitreous biomarker profiles, the investigators aim to develop personalized treatment strategies for nAMD.

02

Conditions studied

  • Age Related Macular Degeneration
03

In context

Macular Degeneration

1,459 studies on the registry are indexed under Macular Degeneration; 238 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 117 is above the median of 56 across 985 interventional studies indexed under Macular Degeneration.

Browse Macular Degeneration studies →

Lead sponsor

Singapore National Eye Centre is the lead sponsor of 87 studies on the registry; 14 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
50 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patients aged ≥ 50 years old at the time of
  2. Willing and able to provide informed consent
  3. Willingness and ability to comply with all scheduled visits and study procedures
  4. Female subjects must be of non- or show a negative pregnancy test at screening and must agree to use appropriate methods of during the study and for one month after the last dose.
  5. Confirmed diagnosis of symptomatic nAMD based on optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA), and indocyanine green angiography (ICG-A)
  6. nAMD characteristics:

    1. Subfoveal CNV/PCV
    2. Juxtafoveal/extrafoveal CNV/PCV with a subfoveal component related to the exudative activity.
  7. Either:

    1. Treatment naïve- NO previous treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents, regardless of the indication, NO previous thermal laser in the macular region, or verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT), regardless of indication.
    2. Eyes that have received 3 prior monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections within 3 months prior to enrolment for nAMD indication only; and no previous treatment with other intravitreal anti-VEGF agents, no previous thermal laser in the macular region, or verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT), regardless of indication.
  8. BCVA of 24-78 letters as measured by an Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) chart (Snellen equivalent 20/32-20/320)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. CNV or retinal exudation due to causes other than typical AMD, such as vitelliform dystrophy, ocular histoplasmosis, trauma, pathological myopia, angioid streaks, choroidal rupture, or uveitis
  2. Active intraocular inflammation or suspected or active intraocular or periocular infection (eg, infectious conjunctivitis, keratitis, scleritis, endophthalmitis, infectious blepharitis) in either eye at Baseline
  3. Any history or evidence of a concurrent intraocular condition in the study eye, including retinal diseases other than neovascular AMD, that, in the judgment of the Investigator, could either require medical or surgical intervention during the course of the study to prevent or treat visual loss that might result from that condition or that limits the potential to gain visual acuity upon treatment with the product

    • History of cataract surgery within 6 months prior to recruitment
    • Cataract surgery during the study period is not permitted.
  4. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) rip/tear in the study eye at Baseline
  5. Current vitreous hemorrhage or history of vitreous hemorrhage in the study eye within 4 weeks prior to Baseline
  6. History of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, stage 3/4 macular hole, or any retinal break unless adequate repair has been performed
  7. History of the following in the study eye:

    • Previous pars plana vitrectomy
    • Previous photodynamic therapy (PDT)
    • Intraocular or refractive surgery within the 6 months period prior to Baseline
    • Previous penetrating keratoplasty or vitrectomy
    • Previous pan retinal photocoagulation
    • Previous submacular surgery or macular laser treatment
  8. Uncontrolled glaucoma or ocular hypertension in the study eye defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) > 25 mmHg on medication or according to the investigator's judgment at baseline
  9. Intra- or periocular use of in the study eye during the 6-month period prior to baseline:

    1. Use of topical ocular corticosteroids in the study eye for 60 or more consecutive days within the 90-day period prior to baseline
    2. Use of systemic corticosteroids for 30 or more consecutive days within the 90 days prior to baseline, with the exception of low stable doses of corticosteroids (defined as ≤10 mg prednisolone or equivalent dose used for 90 days or more). Inhaled, nasal or dermal steroids are also permitted
  10. Previous therapeutic radiation near the region of the study eye
  11. History of a medical condition (disease, metabolic dysfunction, physical examination finding, or clinical laboratory finding) that, in the judgment of the investigator, would preclude scheduled study visits, completion of the study, or a safe administration of the investigational product
  12. History of to any component of the test article or sensitivity to fluorescein dye (or indocyanine green), as assessed by the Investigator
  13. Participation in an investigational drug, biologic, or device study within 30 days or the duration of 5 half-lives of the investigational product (whichever is longer) prior to baseline Note: observational clinical studies solely involving over-the-counter vitamins, supplements, or diets are not exclusionary
  14. Systemic anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy within the 90-day period prior to baseline
  15. Stroke or myocardial infarction in the 90-day period prior to baseline
  16. Uncontrolled blood pressure defined as a systolic value ≥ 180 mmHg and/or diastolic value ≥ 100 mmHg at screening
  17. Medical or psychiatric conditions that, in the opinion of the investigator, make consistent follow-up over the study period unlikely, or in general a poor medical risk because of other systemic diseases or active uncontrolled infections
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(7)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Sequential assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
117 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Other
    Ranibizumab

    Drug: Ranibizumab

  • Other
    Faricimab

    Drug: Faricimab · Drug: Ranibizumab

Interventions

  • All treatment-naïve study eyes will start on the intravitreal ranibizumab loading phase, with the initial injection given within two weeks of the screening visit and overall of x 3 monthly injections. Previously treated eyes will not undergo an in-study loading phase (baseline, week 4 and week 8 visits), as pre-enrolment injections will be considered equivalent. At week 12, patients will be evaluated for their response following the loading phase. Patients who show an absence of IRF, absence of or ≤100µm subretinal fluid (SRF), and no new hemorrhage will be categorized as good responders and will continue with four further monthly intravitreal ranibizumab. Suboptimal responders (defined as the presence of subretinal fluid \> 100 µm, any intraretinal fluid (IRF), or a new hemorrhage) will switch to four doses of monthly intravitreal faricimab.

  • All treatment naive study eyes will start on the intravitreal ranibizumab loading phase, with the initial injection given within two weeks of the screening visit and overall of x 3 monthly injections. Previously treated eyes will not undergo an in-study loading phase (baseline, week 4 and week 8 visits), as pre-enrolment injections will be considered equivalent. At week 12, patients will be evaluated for their response following the loading phase. Patients who show an absence of IRF, absence of or ≤100µm SRF, and no new hemorrhage will be categorized as good responders and will continue with four further monthly intravitreal ranibizumab. Suboptimal responders (defined as the presence of subretinal fluid \> 100 µm, any intraretinal fluid (IRF), or a new hemorrhage) will switch to four doses of monthly intravitreal faricimab.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference in vitreous biomarker concentrations between responders and non-responders

    Comparison of inflammatory and angiogenic biomarkers in vitreous humor measured at baseline and week 12.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in concentration of inflammatory and angiogenic biomarkers in vitreous humor from baseline to week 12 (including IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, TNF-α, VEGF-A, PlGF, ANG-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, and complement pathway proteins)

    Picograms per milliliter (pg/mL)

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  2. Proportion of eyes classified as suboptimal responders at Week 12

    Time frame: 12 weeks

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 16, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07249216
Lead sponsor
Singapore National Eye Centre
Responsible party
Gemmy Cheung Chui Ming (Professor, Singapore Eye Research Institute) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 25, 2025
Start date
Jul 18, 2025
Primary completion
Jun 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 16, 2026

Study contacts

Gemmy Cheung
Contact
gemmy.cheung.c.m@singhealth.com.sg
63227460

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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