EURETINA 2025: Timothy Lai discusses the SALWEEN 1-year data

Timothy Lai, a clinical professor honorary at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, presented the 1-year data from the Salween study at the EURETINA meeting in Paris.

The study focused on the use of faricimab in patients with symptomatic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Asia. The clinical trial recruited 135 patients with PCV who received four loading doses of faricimab. Patients were then allocated to different injection schedules in the first year, with the option to extend to Q20 dosing in the second year if they met specific criteria.

The study's primary endpoint revealed significant positive outcomes. Patients experienced an 8.9-letter improvement in best-corrected visual acuity, which was particularly impressive given their baseline visual acuity. The ICG angiography results were even more promising, with 61% of patients showing complete polypoidal lesion regression - a remarkable achievement for a monotherapy anti-VEGF treatment.

The study design was based on previous research like the TENAYA and LUCERNE studies, but specifically targeted PCV patients in Asia, where the condition is particularly prevalent. All patients were diagnosed using ICG angiography, ensuring precise patient selection. Anatomical outcomes were equally encouraging. Patients demonstrated rapid reduction in macular fluid, with central subfield thickness decreasing significantly after the initial loading doses. By the one-year mark, 78% of patients showed no subretinal or intraretinal fluid.

The Salween study is a two-year research project, with the final patient follow-up scheduled for January of the following year. Lai expressed anticipation about presenting the complete two-year findings in future medical conferences. The research highlighted the potential of faricimab as an effective treatment for PCV, showing both impressive visual and anatomical improvements. The study's results suggested promising implications for managing this specific type of retinal condition, particularly in Asian patient populations.