Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy: Two-Year Results for Vabysmo in the SALWEEN Study

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, or PCV, is a disease of the blood vessels beneath the retina in which polyp-like lesions can leak fluid and threaten central vision. Roche reported two-year results for its injectable medicine Vabysmo (faricimab) in PCV, as covered by Healio.

About the study

SALWEEN was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm phase 3b/4 study of 135 patients aged 50 or older in China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Patients received four loading doses over 12 weeks, then injections every 8, 12, or 16 weeks. A Roche medical lead noted that two-thirds of global vision loss is concentrated in the Asia Pacific region.

Reported results at two years

• Average vision gain of 7.3 letters between weeks 100 and 108.
• Central retinal thickness reduced by 127 micrometers.
• 74% of patients had no retinal fluid.
• 62% had complete regression of polypoidal lesions, and 86% had lesion inactivation.
• 51% reached a 20-week dosing interval at one year, rising to 61% by the end of year two.
• Safety was consistent with the medicine’s known profile in wet macular degeneration.

Reading the results carefully

This was a single-arm study without a comparison group, and the figures come from a company press release. Longer intervals between injections can matter a great deal to patients, but treatment decisions should be made with a retina specialist who can weigh each person’s imaging and history.

Symptoms that need prompt care

• Straight lines that look wavy or bent.
• A new dark or blurry spot in central vision.
• Sudden decline in reading vision in one eye.

Our role

At Khanna Vision Institute we screen the macula during routine exams and refer patients with suspected PCV or wet macular degeneration to retina specialists for imaging and injections. For more general eye-health reading, see beverlyhillslasikdoc.com.

Source: Vabysmo improves vision, retinal health in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (Healio (Roche press release), 09/02/2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.