Volunteers needed to try new drug for late-stage dry AMD

A company developing a new treatment for late-stage dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is looking for volunteers in the UK to take part in a new trial.

The trial, known as ARCHER II, is testing a drug called ANX007, developed by US company Annexon Bio.

Professor Paulo Stanga, who is leading the study, described the drug as “the most exciting candidate drug for dry AMD” that he’s ever seen.

This is the final phase of the study (Phase III), which will be recruiting until the end of August 2025. Participants will undergo monthly eye injections for two years at hospitals across the UK. The trial will compare the drug against a placebo, with two out of three patients receiving the active drug.

The company is looking for as many patients to sign up to the ARCHER II trial as soon as possible.

The new drug 

Professor Stanga compared the new drug to previous drugs which have been trialled for use in dry AMD patients. 

He said: “This is a drug that works on the complement system in the eye. This is a set of proteins which form part of the body’s natural defences by regulating inflammation.”

The complement system is a necessary part of the body’s natural defence against infection. However, in AMD this system can become overactive and create a cycle of inflammation, leading to cell damage.

Professor Stanga said the ANX007 was different from the other two drugs because it helped protect vision. It does this by keeping the connections between nerve cells safe and works by blocking a protein called C1q. This means it stops the problem early, while the other drugs try to fix it later in the process. 

He added: “Unlike other GA therapies, ANX007 has been proven to stop further damage to the macula and preserve the level of vision that trial participants have at their entry into the trial. Therefore, early participation is encouraged.”

Where is the trial taking place? 

The following five UK hospitals are already recruiting patients:

• The Retina Clinic London (lead site) 
• Sunderland Eye Infirmary
• Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
• Moorfields Eye Hospital
• King’s College London

Additional NHS sites will be added soon. All travel and subsistence expenses for the patient and one companion will be reimbursed. Participants may withdraw at any time.

Professor Stanga said: “I have been closely involved in major studies of new therapies for dry AMD for many years, and this is the most exciting candidate drug for dry AMD that I have ever seen. Nothing else has been proven to show significant vision preservation.”

Who can join the trial?

To be considered for inclusion in the study, participants must be:

• Aged over 50
• Diagnosed with late-stage dry AMD (geographic atrophy) in one eye only.

Participants must not have:

• Geographic atrophy due to other causes that are not AMD in either eye.
• Choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) due to wet AMD, or any other cause in the study eye.
• Myopia of -8.00 diopters or higher in the study eye.
• Uncontrolled glaucoma in the study eye.
• History of cataract surgery less than three months prior to the first injection.
• Any previous treatment for AMD in the study eye, other than oral vitamin and mineral supplements.