# A multicenter, single-arm study using a modified faricimab treat-and-extend regimen in patients with macular edema due to central retinal vein occlusion: RVOSTAR study design protocol

**Authors:** Mineo Kondo, Masahiko Shimura, Akitaka Tsujikawa, Yuki Muraoka, Takahiro Kogo, Yuki Akiyama, Yuki Hama, Jun Tsujimura, Keisuke Iwasaki, Motohiro Kamei, Shinji Kakihara, Shinji Kakihara

PMC · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0335015 · 2025-10-30

## TL;DR

This study evaluates a modified treatment regimen using faricimab to maintain vision improvement in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.

## Contribution

The study introduces a modified treat-and-extend regimen for faricimab in Japanese patients with central or hemi-retinal vein occlusion.

## Key findings

- The modified regimen aims to reduce injection frequency while maintaining vision outcomes.
- The study will assess factors affecting visual acuity and treatment intervals over 72 weeks.

## Abstract

Anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents are generally considered to be the first line of therapy for macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO-ME). However, current anti-VEGF treatment regimens in Japan are unable to maintain long-term vision improvement, particularly in patients with central RVO-ME (CRVO-ME). Faricimab is a dual angiopoietin-2/VEGF inhibitor approved for the treatment of RVO-ME in Japan. The RVOSTAR study is being conducted to evaluate the long-term maintenance of vision outcomes with faricimab using a modified treat-and-extend (T&E) regimen in treatment-naïve Japanese patients with CRVO-ME or hemi–RVO-ME (HRVO-ME) and to assess the factors affecting visual acuity and treatment intervals.

RVOSTAR (Japan Registry of Clinical Trials; jRCTs041250001) is an unmasked, single-arm, multicenter, prospective interventional study. Patients with CRVO-ME or HRVO-ME will 1) receive faricimab 6 mg every 4 weeks (≤6 injections) until ME is resolved; 2) be observed with no treatment until ME reoccurs, based on pre-specified central subfield thickness (CST) criteria; and then 3) be treated according to a T&E regimen up to 72 weeks, with dosing intervals based on time to relapse and adjusted by 4-week increments (minimum interval: every 4 weeks; maximum interval: no limit). Vision outcomes include best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and CST. The primary endpoint is the change from baseline in BCVA at week 72. Safety outcomes include ocular and non-ocular adverse events.

RVOSTAR will evaluate the long-term maintenance of vision outcomes with a modified faricimab T&E regimen in patients with CRVO-ME or HRVO-ME while reducing the burden associated with frequent injections. The findings from this study may help to optimize dosing frequency in clinical practice.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** macular edema (MONDO:0003005), central retinal vein occlusion (MONDO:0002303)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** ANGPT2 (angiopoietin 2) [NCBI Gene 285] {aka AGPT2, ANG2, LMPHM10}, VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A) [NCBI Gene 7422] {aka L-VEGF, MVCD1, VEGF, VPF}
- **Diseases:** CRVO-ME (MESH:D020210), retinal vein occlusion (MESH:D012170), macular edema (MESH:D008269)
- **Chemicals:** Faricimab (MESH:C000723200), HRVO (-)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12574838/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12574838