Oculis: First topical eye inflammation and pain treatment - Phase 3 trial enrollment completed

Oculis Holding AG (Nasdaq: OCS) (“Oculis”) a global biopharmaceutical company purposefully driven to save sight and improve eye care, today announces the completion of enrollment for its Phase 3 OPTIMIZE trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of once-daily OCS-01, a novel, high concentration, preservative-free, topical OPTIREACH formulation of dexamethasone for the treatment of inflammation and pain following cataract surgery.

The OPTIMIZE (Once-daily Post ocular surgery Treatment for InflaMmation and paIn to minimiZE drops) trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial in 25 participating sites across the US, with 240 patients. Efficacy measures include the absence of inflammation at Day 15 and absence of pain at Day 4.

In the completed Phase 2 SKYGGN study, OCS-01 met its primary and secondary endpoints of absence of anterior chamber cells and absence of pain, achieving statistical significance for patients who received once-daily dosing of OCS-01 vs vehicle in the treatment of inflammation and pain following cataract surgery. OCS-01 was also well tolerated in this trial. These data were presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) 2020 Annual Meeting and published in Clinical Therapeutics. The study, “OCS-01 in Treating Inflammation and Pain in Post-cataract Patients (SKYGGN)” on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website.

The results from the SKYGGN Phase 2 trial showed OCS-01, administered once daily or twice daily, was more effective than vehicle with respect to the primary and secondary endpoints and well-tolerated in the treatment of inflammation and pain following cataract surgery. The once-a-day data from the trial demonstrated that OCS-01’s unique formulation may allow for effective and safe once a day dosing. Once-daily administration of OCS-01 is expected to facilitate compliance, minimize instillation challenges, and eliminate confusion caused by complicated tapering schedules. In addition, reduced frequency of medication coupled with preservative-free preparations can improve the health of the ocular surface.

Riad Sherif MD, CEO of Oculis, said: “Oculis has taken a material step forward in advancing OCS-01’s Phase 3 clinical trial and I wish to congratulate everyone involved. I would like also to thank all our partners and investigators for their great commitment to clinical development. I am proud of the rapid progress we are making towards our goal of delivering life-changing innovative treatments to patients.”

Eric Donnenfeld, co-chair of Oculis’ Scientific Advisory Board, commented: “OCS-01 could bring significant therapeutic benefit as a once-daily treatment for inflammation and pain following ocular surgery. In addition, given its ability to reach the back of the eye, it could also offer further benefit in treating retinal edema, as shown in Oculis’ DME Phase 2 trial and previous exploratory trial in CME, a significant complication following ocular surgery.”

OCS-01 is also being evaluated in another ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial, the DIAMOND study, as potentially the first topical treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME), if approved. It has been developed using Oculis’ OPTIREACH technology, a proprietary platform that enables the formulation of drug candidates as topical eye drops with longer residence time on the eye surface, and enhanced bioavailability in the relevant eye tissues, including the retina.