“My diabetes began affecting my vision about a year ago. Recently, it got much worse. My doctor told me that I need to come in ten times in the first year for treatment, but I know I can’t do that with my schedule.”
WHAT IS DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA (DME)?
The worldwide diabetes epidemic is putting more working-age individuals at risk of blindness.
Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes. Long-standing elevated blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) due to diabetes damages blood vessels in the retina and cause them to leak fluid into the retina. Elevated levels of intraocular VEGF play a role in the development and progression of DR.
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a complication of diabetic retinopathy. DME is the most common cause of vision loss in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Abnormal leakage and fluid from damaged blood vessels accumulate in the macula, the region within retina responsible for central vision, and result in blurry vision. DME can occur at any stage of diabetic retinopathy.
TARCOCIMAB TEDROMER (KSI-301) FOR DME
Our therapeutic candidate tarcocimab tedromer is a novel anti-VEGF biologic built on a propriety antibody biopolymer conjugate (ABC) platform. Tarcocimab tedromer is designed to have extended ocular half-life, higher potency, and improved ocular tissue bioavailability.
Tarcocimab tedromer is administered as an intravitreal injection and designed to provide sustained inhibition of VEGF for up to 6 months. The unique properties of tarcocimab tedromer aim to provide patients with long-term control of their DME with improved vision outcomes while reducing the burden of frequent anti-VEGF injections. In addition, tarcocimab tedromer is designed to halt and reverse DR progression with long-term efficacy that can reduce the risk of vision-threatening complications from DR.