Merck's remigromig meets visual acuity goal in diabetic macular edema trial, safety signals noted

Merck announced that its experimental eye drug remigromig achieved non‑inferiority to Roche’s Lucentis in a late‑stage trial for diabetic macular edema.

The trial, called Brunello, measured visual acuity and found the drug matched the comparator, marking a key efficacy milestone for the candidate acquired in a $1.3 billion purchase of EyeBio.

However, Merck also reported higher incidences of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, intra‑ocular bleeding, and treatment discontinuations among patients receiving remigromig, prompting further safety analyses.

The results build on earlier Phase 1b/2a data that showed promise in both diabetic macular edema and wet age‑related macular degeneration, but the safety concerns may affect the drug’s path forward.