Introduction: The study aimed to evaluate comparability in terms of efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of Sun's ranibizumab biosimilar with reference ranibizumab in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).
Methods: This prospective, randomised, double-blind, two-group, parallel-arm, multicentre, phase 3 comparative study included patients with nAMD ≥ 50 years, randomised (in a 2:1 ratio) in a double-blind manner to receive 0.5 mg (0.05 mL) intravitreal injection of either Sun's ranibizumab or reference ranibizumab in the study eye every 4 weeks until week 16 (total of four doses).
Results: Primary endpoint results demonstrated equivalence in the proportion of patients who lost fewer than 15 letters from baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) to the end of week 16 (99% of patients in Sun's ranibizumab and 100% in reference ranibizumab; p > 0.9999), with the proportional difference (90% confidence interval) at -1% (-2.51, +0.61) lying within a pre-specified equivalence margin. Visual acuity improved by 15 or more letters in 43% of Sun's ranibizumab group and 37% of the reference ranibizumab group (p = 0.4267). The mean increase in BCVA was 15.7 letters in Sun's ranibizumab group and 14.6 letters in the reference ranibizumab group (p < 0.001 within both groups and p = 0.5275 between groups). The mean change in central macular thickness was comparable between groups (p = 0.7946). Anti-ranibizumab antibodies were found in one patient of the reference ranibizumab group, while neutralising antibodies were not found in any patients. Both products were well tolerated.
Conclusion: Sun's ranibizumab biosimilar is found to be therapeutically equivalent to reference ranibizumab in patients with nAMD. There were no additional safety or immunogenicity concerns.
Trial registration: CTRI/2020/09/027629, registered on 07 September 2020.
Keywords: Anti-VEGF; Biosimilar ranibizumab; Innovator ranibizumab; Neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
© 2024. The Author(s).