Regeneron eye therapy looks positive in Ph2

Regeneron (REGN) and Germany's Bayer Healthcare issued a thumb's up today on their mid-stage study of VEGF-Trap Eye. The Da Vinci study tested the therapy in patients with significant diabetic macular edema and researchers said that it hit its primary endpoint: a statistically significant improvement in vision over 24 weeks compared to focal laser therapy, which is the standard of care at the moment.

"The ability of VEGF Trap-Eye to significantly improve vision in patients with DME in this initial Phase II study is encouraging," said Dr. Kemal Malik, member of the Bayer HealthCare Executive Committee responsible for global development. "Bayer and Regeneron will discuss the next steps in further developing VEGF Trap-Eye in this indication."

Regeneron has fully enrolled two Phase III studies of the therapy in patients with the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). Regeneron outlined the mid-stage data alongside its annual report, which reflected a $67.8 million loss for last year compared to a loss of $79.1 million the year before.

- see the release on the study
- here's the release on Regeneron's annual numbers