Topical treatment of diabetic macular edema using dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension: A randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled study

Purpose To evaluate topical dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension OCS-01 (Oculis SA, Lausanne, Switzerland) in diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods This was a multicenter, double-masked, parallel-group, randomized, Phase 2 study. Patients aged 18-85 years with DME of <3 years duration, ETDRS central subfield thickness >= 310 mu m by SD-OCT, and ETDRS letter score <= 73 and >= 24 in the study eye were randomized 2:1 to OCS-01 or matching vehicle, 1 drop 3 times/day for 12 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated as change from baseline to Week 12 of ETDRS letter score and central macular thickness (CMT). The primary analysis used a linear model with baseline ETDRS letters as a covariate, and missing data imputed using multiple imputation pattern mixture model techniques. Active treatment was considered superior to vehicle if the one-sided p-value was 0. Results Mean CMT showed a greater decrease from baseline with OCS-01 (N = 99) than vehicle (N = 45) at Week 12 (-53.6 vs -16.8 mu m, p = 0.0115), with significant differences favouring OCS-01 from Weeks 2 to 12. OCS-01 was well-tolerated, and increased intraocular pressure was the most common adverse event. Mean change in ETDRS letter score from baseline to Week 12 met the p was +2.6 letters with topical OCS-01 and 1 letter with vehicle (p = 0.125). In a post-hoc analysis, there was a greater difference in patients with baseline BCVA <= 65 letters, the OCS-01 group improved 3.8 letters compared with 0.9 letters with vehicle. Conclusion Topical OCS-01 was significantly more effective than vehicle in improving central macular thickness in patients with DME. Visual improvement was better in eyes with lower baseline vision.