Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG, has submitted an application for marketing authorization of VEGF Trap-Eye (aflibercept solution for injection) for the treatment of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Regeneron has submitted a supplemental BLA (Biologics License Application) for VEGF Trap-Eye in this indication to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

VEGF Trap-Eye has been approved under the brand name EYLEA in Europe, the United States, Japan, Australia, and in many other countries for the treatment of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). EYLEA has also been approved in Europe for the treatment of visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to CRVO as well as in the US and in selected countries in Asia and Latin America for the treatment of macular edema following CRVO.

“The number of patients suffering from diabetes on a worldwide basis continues to increase, and with it the need for new treatment options. DME affects many patients, including those under the age of 50. Whatever a person`s age, vision impairment impacts everyday tasks and has a detrimental effect on quality of life,” said Kemal Malik, MD, member of the Bayer HealthCare Executive Committee and head of Global Development. “With this filing, Bayer and Regeneron hope to make a significant contribution towards alleviating the impact of this disease in the future.”

The submission of EYLEA for DME is based on data from the positive phase III VISTA-DME and VIVID-DME studies. One-year data from the VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME trials were already presented at medical congresses in the US and Europe. Both trials are planned to continue up to 148 weeks.

Bayer HealthCare and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are collaborating on the global development of EYLEA. Regeneron maintains exclusive rights to EYLEA in the United States. Bayer HealthCare licensed the exclusive marketing rights outside the United States, where the companies share equally the profits from sales of EYLEA, except for Japan where Regeneron receives a royalty on net sales.

The phase III DME programme consists of three double-masked trials: VIVID-DME, VISTA-DME, and VIVID-EAST-DME, and one open label single arm safety trial in Japanese patients (VIVID-Japan). All three double masked studies have three treatment arms, where patients are randomized to receive either VEGF Trap-Eye 2 mg monthly, VEGF Trap-Eye 2 mg every two months (after 5 initial monthly injections), or the comparator treatment of laser photocoagulation. The primary endpoint of these three studies is the mean change in best-corrected visual acuity from baseline, as measured on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Scale (ETDRS) eye chart, a standard chart used in research to measure visual acuity. The VIVID-DME, VISTA-DME and VIVID-EAST-DME studies are ongoing.

DME is a common complication of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), a disease affecting the blood vessels of the retina. Clinically significant DME occurs when fluid leaks into the center of the macula, the light-sensitive part of the retina responsible for sharp, direct vision. Fluid in the macula can cause severe vision loss or blindness.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a naturally occurring protein in the body. Its normal role in a healthy organism is to trigger formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) supporting the growth of the body's tissues and organs. It is also associated with the growth of abnormal new blood vessels in the eye, which exhibit abnormal increased permeability that leads to edema.

VEGF Trap-Eye is a recombinant fusion protein, consisting of portions of human VEGF receptors 1 and 2 extracellular domains fused to the Fc portion of human IgG1 and formulated as an iso-osmotic solution for intravitreal administration. VEGF Trap-Eye acts as a soluble decoy receptor that binds VEGF-A and placental growth factor (PlGF) and thereby can inhibit the binding and activation of their cognate VEGF receptors.

Regeneron is a leading science-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, invents, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions.

The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry.