Extension of the intravitreal injection interval after switching to faricimab in patients with exudative AMD: The multicenter FAR WEST study

@article{posnic2026extension,
  title = {{Extension of the intravitreal injection interval after switching to faricimab in patients with exudative AMD: The multicenter FAR WEST study}},
  author = {A. Posnic and M. Vaast and A. Poinas and E Le Pabic and J. P. Bellamy and C. Delhay and S. Faure and J.-F. Le Rouic and A. Henry and O. Lebreton and H. Masse and T. Guillaumie and I. Fournier and A. Mainguy and M.L. Le Lez and K.R. Khanna and A. George and V Pipelart and Y. Bernard and P Grimbert and D. Mazhar and M. Benzerroug and B. Briend and M. Clement and H.-P. Jammes-Veaux and M.-P. Posnic and A. Bonissent and C Guyot and N. Rousseau and B. Trinh van Dam and L. Bellot and R. Ferron and G. Le Meur and F. Mouriaux and M. Weber and Y Maucourant and J. B. Ducloyer},
  journal = {Journal Français d'Ophtalmologie},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.jfo.2026.104795},
  url = {https://hal.science/hal-05830504v1},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Extension of the intravitreal injection interval after switching to faricimab in patients with exudative AMD: The multicenter FAR WEST study
AU  - A. Posnic
AU  - M. Vaast
AU  - A. Poinas
AU  - E Le Pabic
AU  - J. P. Bellamy
AU  - C. Delhay
AU  - S. Faure
AU  - J.-F. Le Rouic
AU  - A. Henry
AU  - O. Lebreton
AU  - H. Masse
AU  - T. Guillaumie
AU  - I. Fournier
AU  - A. Mainguy
AU  - M.L. Le Lez
AU  - K.R. Khanna
AU  - A. George
AU  - V Pipelart
AU  - Y. Bernard
AU  - P Grimbert
AU  - D. Mazhar
AU  - M. Benzerroug
AU  - B. Briend
AU  - M. Clement
AU  - H.-P. Jammes-Veaux
AU  - M.-P. Posnic
AU  - A. Bonissent
AU  - C Guyot
AU  - N. Rousseau
AU  - B. Trinh van Dam
AU  - L. Bellot
AU  - R. Ferron
AU  - G. Le Meur
AU  - F. Mouriaux
AU  - M. Weber
AU  - Y Maucourant
AU  - J. B. Ducloyer
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/21
JO  - Journal Français d'Ophtalmologie
DO  - 10.1016/j.jfo.2026.104795
UR  - https://hal.science/hal-05830504v1
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess whether switching to faricimab allowed extending injection intervals without exudation in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and to identify predictive factors for interval extension. METHODS: FAR WEST was a multicenter, observational retrospective cohort study, including patients with nAMD treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections (IVI) for at least one year prior to switching to faricimab. Data were collected from the medical records at the time of the decision to switch to faricimab (M0) and at the M6 follow-up visit. The switch strategy (whether an induction phase was performed or not) was left to the practitioner's discretion. RESULTS: A total of 814 eyes of 705 patients were included in 23 centers. The recurrence-free IVI interval increased significantly from 5.6 weeks at M0 to 7.2 weeks at M6 (+1.6 weeks, P<0.0001). The proportion of exudative patients decreased by 37% (P<0.0001). Among 228 refractory cases at M0, 88 (39%) achieved a dry macula at M6. A greater interval extension was found in patients who underwent immediate extension. No significant differences were observed in terms of age, time since first injection, type of neovascularisation, or pre-switch IVI interval. The intraocular inflammation rate was 0.6% (n=5). CONCLUSION: Switching to faricimab allowed for significantly extending the recurrence-free IVI interval and decreasing the proportion of exudative patients in this cohort. Significant extension was found in a wide range of patients, including those without a loading phase. Further controlled prospective studies are needed to assess the value of a loading phase when switching to faricimab. Safety outcomes were consistent with prior studies.
SN  - 0181-5512
SN  - 1773-0597
ER  -