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September 4, 2024 6:40 am ET

RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, and EyeBio, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, today announced the initiation of the Phase 2b/3 BRUNELLO trial evaluating Restoret™ (MK-3000, formerly EYE103) for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).

MK-3000 is an investigational, potentially first-in-class tetravalent, tri-specific antibody that acts as an agonist of the Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) signaling pathway. The initiation of the BRUNELLO trial is based on results from the open-label, Phase 1/2 AMARONE study of MK-3000 in patients with DME and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD).

“Data from the Phase 1/2 AMARONE study provided early evidence for the potential of MK-3000 for patients with retinal disease,” said Dr. David Guyer, founder, chief executive officer and president of EyeBio. “The initiation of the BRUNELLO trial marks an important milestone as we work with our new colleagues at Merck, driven by the common purpose to deliver new, much needed options for patients with diabetic macular edema.”

About the BRUNELLO trial
BRUNELLO is a randomized, double masked Phase 2b/3 trial ( NCT06571045 ) evaluating the efficacy and safety of two dose levels of intravitreal (IVT) Restoret (MK-3000) versus active control ranibizumab in patients with DME. Eligible patients will be randomized 1:1:1 to receive low and high dose regimens of MK-3000 or ranibizumab every four weeks for the first year. In the second year, the frequency of treatment for participants will shift based on a personalized treatment interval (PTI) algorithm. The dual primary endpoints are safety and mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline to week 52 in the study eye of the participants, using standardized Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) vision. For further information about the BRUNELLO trial, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov .

About diabetic macular edema
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a serious retinal condition that poses a risk to vision, potentially leading to blindness and a reduced quality of life if left untreated. DME impacts an estimated 750,000 people in the United States and occurs when damaged blood vessels leak into the retina, resulting in swelling in the macula, the central region of the retina crucial for precise vision necessary for everyday activities. The prevalence of DME is anticipated to rise with the increasing incidence of diabetes.

About Restoret
Restoret (MK-3000, formerly EYE103) is an investigational, potentially first-in-class tetravalent, tri-specific Wnt antibody designed to address unmet medical need in patients with retinal diseases, including diabetic macular edema (DME) and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD). MK-3000 is administered as an intravitreal injection seeking to eliminate vascular leakage in retinal diseases by agonizing the Wnt pathway with the goal of restoring and maintaining the blood-retinal barrier. Preclinical evidence indicates that agonizing the Wnt pathway in the retina may reduce vascular leakage.

About Merck
At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world - and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on X (formerly Twitter) , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and LinkedIn .

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site ( www.sec.gov ).

Source: Merck & Co., Inc.