ASRS 2025: ARCHER II, a phase 3 randomized trial of ANX007 in patients with dry AMD and GA

David Eichenbaum, MD, FASRS, a partner and director of research at Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida and collaborative volunteer Associate Professor at the Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, presented at the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) meeting in 2025 about the ARCHER-2 study.

The presentation focused on 4 key takeaways about the study. First, the ARCHER-2 study had completed its enrollment, with the next phase being patient retention and result analysis. Eichenbaum emphasized that the study was fully enrolled and ready for the next steps. The study was designed with a unique visual-functional endpoint, specifically an event analysis of 15-letter loss. This approach potentially offered a global pathway for approval of a geographic atrophy drug with a meaningful visual-functional endpoint. This was significant because it represented a potential breakthrough in treating geographic atrophy.

The phase 3 trial built upon the phase 2 trial's inclusion criteria, which focused on center-involving and non-center-involving geographic atrophy. The study excluded patients with visual acuity better than 45 letters (20/100), while allowing center-involving geographic atrophy as an inclusion criterion. This methodology was intended to improve the probability of meeting the study's endpoint.

Eichenbaum highlighted the study's potential to be the first globally approved therapy for geographic atrophy that demonstrated a meaningful change in visual function. He acknowledged that while geographic atrophy treatments existed, there was still considerable room for improvement in the field. The researcher expressed excitement about the future of geographic atrophy treatments, noting the significance of the ARCHER-2 study in advancing medical understanding and potential treatment options. He viewed the study as a critical step forward in addressing the challenges of geographic atrophy.

The primary goal remained to retain patients and carefully analyze the results, with the hope of providing a significant advancement in treating this challenging medical condition. Eichenbaum's presentation underscored the potential for meaningful progress in ophthalmological research and treatment.