Benzinga | Jan 10, 2022 07:07AM EST

REGENXBIO Announces Initiation Of Second Pivotal Trial In RGX-314 Clinical Program For The Treatment Of Wet AMD Using Subretinal Delivery

REGENXBIO Inc. (NASDAQ:RGNX) today announced the initiation of ASCENTTM, the second of two Phase III pivotal trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of subretinal delivery of RGX-314 in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). ASCENT, the first trial to be initiated by REGENXBIO under the eye care collaboration with AbbVie, is currently active and screening patients. RGX-314 is being investigated as a potential one-time gene therapy for the treatment of wet AMD.

A Biologics License Application (BLA) is expected to be submitted to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024 based on two pivotal trials, ASCENT and the ongoing ATMOSPHERE trial.

"The initiation of ASCENT is an important milestone for the pivotal program for subretinal delivery of RGX-314 in patients with wet AMD, and it is the first trial to be started under our partnership with AbbVie," said Steve Pakola, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of REGENXBIO. "ASCENT is designed similarly to our ongoing ATMOSPHERE trial, and key design elements for both pivotal studies are based on the positive long-term data from our dose-escalation Phase I/IIa trial of RGX-314. We look forward to advancing both trials to support our goal of a BLA filing in 2024."

"The initiation of this Phase III study, a first under our collaboration with REGENXBIO, is an important advancement in our continued pursuit of innovative treatments for patients living with difficult-to-treat retinal diseases, visual impairment, and devastating vision loss," said Michael Robinson, MD, vice president, clinical development, ophthalmology, AbbVie. "We look forward to identifying the full potential of RGX-314 as part of our commitment to advancing vision care."

ASCENT is a multi-center, randomized, active-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of subretinal delivery of RGX-314 across two dose arms, 6.4x1010 genomic copies per eye (GC/eye) and 1.3x1011 GC/eye, versus intravitreal injections of aflibercept, per label instructions. The primary endpoint of the trial is non-inferiority to aflibercept based on the change from baseline in Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) at one year. The trial will enroll approximately 465 patients across the two dose arms and the aflibercept control arm.

About RGX-314

REGENXBIO is investigating RGX-314 in collaboration with AbbVie as a potential one-time treatment for wet AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and other chronic retinal conditions. RGX-314 includes the NAV AAV8 vector containing a gene encoding for a monoclonal antibody fragment designed to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). RGX-314 is believed to inhibit the VEGF pathway by which new, leaky blood vessels grow and contribute to the accumulation of fluid in the retina1.

Two separate routes of administration of RGX-314 to the eye are being evaluated, including a standardized subretinal delivery procedure as well as delivery to the suprachoroidal space. REGENXBIO has licensed certain exclusive rights to the SCS Microinjector(r) from Clearside Biomedical, Inc. to deliver gene therapy treatments to the suprachoroidal space of the eye.

About Wet AMD

Wet AMD is characterized by loss of vision due to new, leaky blood vessel formation in the retina2. Wet AMD is a significant cause of vision loss in the United States, Europe and Japan, with up to 2 million people living with wet AMD in these geographies alone3. Current anti-VEGF therapies have significantly changed the landscape for treatment of wet AMD, becoming the standard of care due to their ability to prevent progression of vision loss in the majority of patients4. These therapies, however, require life-long repeated intraocular injections to maintain efficacy5,6 and patients often experience a decline in vision with reduced frequency of treatment over time7.