Basel, Switzerland – August 28, 2026

Roche announced new two-year results from the Phase IIIb/IV SALWEEN study evaluating Vabysmo® (faricimab) in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), an aggressive subtype of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) that is particularly prevalent in Asian populations. The study demonstrated sustained improvements in vision and retinal health, with patients achieving a 7.3-letter gain in best-corrected visual acuity and a 127 µm reduction in central subfield thickness from baseline averaged over Weeks 100–108. At two years, 62% of eyes achieved complete regression of polypoidal lesions, while 86% achieved lesion inactivation. For cGxP.wire, the key development is the durable two-year efficacy and increasing treatment intervals achieved with Vabysmo, with 61% of patients assigned to a 20-week dosing interval by the end of Year 2. Vabysmo was also reported to have a consistent long-term safety profile in the PCV population.

Roche Reports Sustained Vision and Retinal Improvements With Vabysmo

The SALWEEN study evaluated Vabysmo in 135 Asian patients with PCV across 38 sites in nine markets, including China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Patients initially received four loading doses of Vabysmo 6 mg over 12 weeks, followed by individualized dosing at intervals of eight, 12 or 16 weeks. From Weeks 44 to 104, treatment intervals could be extended up to 20 weeks based on individual disease control. By the end of Year 2, patients achieved a 7.3-letter improvement in BCVA and a 127 µm reduction in CST, averaged over Weeks 100–108. In addition, 74% of patients had no retinal fluid at Year 2, indicating sustained control of retinal disease activity. These findings support the durability of Vabysmo in a difficult-to-treat form of nAMD and provide additional evidence for its ability to maintain visual and anatomical benefits over an extended treatment period.

Vabysmo Shows Activity Against Polypoidal Lesions in PCV

A notable component of the two-year SALWEEN results was Vabysmo’s effect on the abnormal polyp-like blood vessels that characterize PCV. By Year 2, 62% of patients achieved complete regression of polypoidal lesions, while 86% achieved inactivation of these lesions. PCV can cause leakage and bleeding beneath the retina and is associated with substantial vision loss, making durable lesion control an important treatment objective. Roche attributes Vabysmo’s activity to its dual inhibition of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), two signaling pathways involved in vascular instability, leakage and disease progression. The results suggest that Vabysmo can provide sustained disease control while addressing both visual outcomes and key anatomical features of PCV. However, SALWEEN was an open-label, single-arm Phase IIIb/IV study, so the findings should not be interpreted as comparative evidence against other approved PCV treatments.

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Roche Advances Extended-Dosing Strategy With Vabysmo

The SALWEEN data also highlight the potential to reduce treatment burden through extended dosing. At the end of Year 1, 51% of patients were assigned to a 20-week treatment interval, increasing to 61% by the end of Year 2. This extended interval is particularly relevant for nAMD because repeated intravitreal injections can create a significant long-term treatment burden for patients and healthcare systems. Vabysmo is designed as a bispecific antibody targeting Ang-2 and VEGF-A, and its established durability profile supports individualized treatment intervals in retinal diseases. The SALWEEN results extend this evidence into Asian patients with PCV, a population in which the condition can represent a substantial proportion of nAMD cases. Vabysmo was reported to be well tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with its known profile in nAMD. The two-year findings strengthen Roche’s positioning of Vabysmo as a durable treatment option for challenging retinal vascular diseases, although additional comparative evidence will remain important for defining its position against competing therapies..

Source: Roche,, press relese