ABBV-RGX-314 (also known as RGX-314) is being developed as a novel one-time gene therapy for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD or nAMD). Wet AMD is characterized by loss of vision due to new, leaky blood vessel formation in the retina. 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 alone. Current anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies have significantly changed the landscape for treatment of wet AMD, becoming the standard of care due to their ability to maintain or prevent progression of vision loss in the majority of patients. These therapies, however, require life-long intraocular injections, typically repeated every 4 to 16 weeks in frequency, to maintain efficacy. Due to the burden of these treatments, patients often experience a decline in vision with reduced frequency of treatment over time.
Phase 2 trials begin testing efficacy in a larger patient group (100–300). This is often where biotech binary events occur — positive Phase 2 data can significantly advance a company's pipeline narrative, while failures can be terminal for a program.
Phase 3 trials are pivotal studies with large patient populations (hundreds to thousands) designed to prove efficacy and safety for FDA submission. A successful Phase 3 readout is typically the last major hurdle before a New Drug Application (NDA) or BLA filing.
Currently recruiting: the trial is enrolling patients. A data readout is not expected until after enrollment closes and the follow-up period is complete.
AbbVie Inc (ABBV) is the sponsoring company for this trial. BiotechSign currently grades this company C (58/100) based on composite catalyst signals across its full pipeline. This trial is one data point in that overall catalyst picture.