What the trial was testing
The GATHER2 enrolled 448 patients with macular degeneration. The study was sponsored by IVERIC bio (now Astellas) and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
~14% slower growth of vision-loss patches over 12 months compared with sham.
The Lancet · 2023 · NCT04435366
These findings — that slower growth of geographic atrophy lesions over 12 months on monthly avacincaptad pegol — were published in the The Lancet and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 448 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with macular degeneration, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Avacincaptad pegol (Izervay) is FDA-approved for geographic atrophy and available now. It doesn't restore lost vision, but it slows the spread of dead retinal tissue — meaning more years of preserved central sight. Ask your retina specialist if the trade-off (monthly injections vs. slower vision loss) makes sense for your case.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open macular degeneration trials
Safety and Efficacy of Oral HX9428 Tablets in Subjects With Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (wAMD)
This study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of Oral HX9428 tablets in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration(wAMD)
A Safety and Efficacy Study of a One-time Intravitreal Injection of SAR446597 in Participants With Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration
This is a sequential Phase 1/2, two-part, multicenter study on safety, tolerability, and efficacy of one-time intravitreal SAR446597 for the treatment of participants with Geographic Atrophy (GA) secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The core phase duration will be approximately 2 years for each participant. An Extended Follow-Up (EFU) phase of 3 years follows the core phase. The treatment is a one-time intravitreal injection of SAR446597 (or sham as applicable in Part II).