Oculis reports Phase 3 trials for OCS-01 in diabetic macular edema missed primary endpoints, focusing on other pipeline projects.
Quiver AI Summary
Oculis Holding AG announced that its Phase 3 trials for OCS-01 eye drops aimed at treating diabetic macular edema (DME) did not meet their primary endpoint of improving best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after 52 weeks. However, the trials showed a significant reduction in retinal thickness, a secondary endpoint, with OCS-01 compared to a vehicle. As a result of the trial outcomes, Oculis will focus on advancing its other projects, specifically the Privosegtor program for optic neuropathies and the Licaminlimab trial for dry eye disease, rather than pursuing FDA approval for OCS-01 in DME. The company maintains a strong financial position, with $278 million in cash, ensuring funding through at least the second half of 2029. A conference call is scheduled to discuss these results and future plans.
Potential Positives
- The secondary endpoint of retinal thickness showed a substantial and persistent reduction with OCS-01 vs vehicle in both trials, indicating potential benefits in treatment despite not meeting the primary endpoint.
- Oculis maintains a strong financial position with $278 million in cash, providing a cash runway into the second half of 2029, which supports ongoing research and development efforts.
- The company plans to strategically focus resources on advancing its late-stage portfolio, particularly the Privosegtor PIONEER program and the Licaminlimab PREDICT-1 trial, indicating a clear direction for future development.
- The execution of the trials involved collaboration with 119 global sites and over 800 patients, showcasing the company's capability to manage large clinical studies effectively.
Potential Negatives
- The primary endpoint of the Phase 3 trials for OCS-01 was not met, indicating a lack of efficacy in improving best corrected visual acuity in diabetic macular edema patients.
- The key secondary endpoint regarding the proportion of patients achieving a significant gain in visual acuity was also not met, further demonstrating underperformance of the treatment.
- Oculis does not plan to pursue an FDA regulatory filing for OCS-01 in diabetic macular edema, which could hinder their product pipeline and revenue potential.
FAQ
What were the results of the OCS-01 Phase 3 trials?
The primary endpoint of BCVA improvement was not met, although retinal thickness showed significant reduction in both trials.
What is Oculis focusing on after the DIAMOND trials?
Oculis will focus on the Privosegtor PIONEER program for optic neuropathies and the Licaminlimab PREDICT-1 trial for dry eye disease.
How is Oculis’ financial position?
As of March 31, 2026, Oculis has a strong financial position with $278 million in cash and equivalents, supporting growth into 2029.
What is the significance of the retinal thickness reduction?
The substantial reduction in retinal thickness indicates potential therapeutic effects of OCS-01, despite not translating to improved BCVA.
When is the Oculis conference call scheduled?
The Oculis management conference call is scheduled for today at 4:30 PM ET to discuss topline results and pipeline updates.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
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$OCS Analyst Ratings
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Full Release
ZUG, Switzerland, May 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
- The primary endpoint of mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline to week 52 in both Phase 3 trials was not met
- The secondary endpoint of retinal thickness showed a substantial and persistent reduction with OCS-01 vs vehicle in both trials
- Oculis will focus its developmental efforts and financial resources on the ongoing Privosegtor PIONEER registrational program in optic neuropathies and the Licaminlimab PREDICT-1 registrational trial in dry eye disease
- Financial position remains strong with $278 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments as of March 31, 2026, providing cash runway into 2H 2029
Conference call today at 4:30 pm ET
Oculis Holding AG (Nasdaq: OCS / XICE: OCS) (Oculis), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on breakthrough innovations to address significant unmet medical needs in neuro-ophthalmology and ophthalmology, today announced topline results from its Phase 3 DIAMOND-1 and DIAMOND-2 trials of OCS-01 eye drops in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).
The DIAMOND (DIAbetic Macular edema patients ON a Drop) program consisted of two Phase 3, double-masked, randomized, multi-center trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of OCS-01 eye drops in patients with DME following 52 weeks of treatment. Over 800 patients were enrolled across both pivotal trials at 119 investigational sites throughout the United States and several other countries.
The primary endpoint, mean change in best corrected visual acuity early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (BCVA ETDRS) letter score at Week 52, was not met in both trials. The secondary endpoint of retinal thickness, as measured by OCT, showed a substantial and persistent reduction with OCS-01 vs vehicle at all visits in DIAMOND-2 and at all visits except Week 52 in DIAMOND-1. The key secondary endpoint of the proportion of patients with ≥15-letter gain in BCVA was not met in both trials.
OCS-01 was well tolerated, with no unexpected adverse events observed, and the overall safety profile was consistent with that of previous trials.
Based on the results, at this time, Oculis does not plan to pursue an FDA regulatory filing for OCS-01 in DME.
Riad Sherif, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Oculis, said: “We are naturally disappointed that the substantial and sustained reduction in retinal thickness observed across both trials didn’t translate into BCVA improvement at week 52. In these two trials, our team partnered with 119 global sites across multiple countries and demonstrated excellent execution. We thank the patients, investigators, and all clinical experts who participated in the DIAMOND program. Our strong financial position allows us to execute on our robust late-stage development portfolio. While we finalize the review of DIAMOND program data, we will strategically focus resources on advancing our late-stage portfolio, including the Privosegtor platform, starting with the PIONEER program for Privosegtor in optic neuropathies, and the PREDICT-1 trial for Licaminlimab to drive precision medicine in dry eye disease.”
Analyst and investor call
The Oculis management team will host an analyst and investor call today at 4:30 pm U.S. Eastern Time, to review the topline results and provide a pipeline update. Interested parties may participate in the call via the following webcast link:
https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1765661&tp_key=0d6c454cfe
Or use the following dial-in options:
US-based Investors: 1-877-407-4018
International Investors: 1-201-689-8471
Conference ID: 13760937
A replay of the webcast and accompanying slides will be available for 90 days following the event through the “Events and Presentations” page of the “Investors and Media” section of the company’s website.
- ENDS -
About Oculis
Oculis is a global biopharmaceutical company (Nasdaq: OCS; XICE: OCS) focused on breakthrough innovations to address significant unmet medical needs in neuro-ophthalmology and ophthalmology. Oculis’ highly differentiated late-stage clinical pipeline focuses on two core product candidates. Privosegtor is a breakthrough neuroprotective candidate in the PIONEER program, which consists of studies intended to support registration plans for treatment of optic neuropathies, including optic neuritis (ON) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Privosegtor also has potential to be developed for additional indications in other neuro-ophthalmic and neurological diseases. Licaminlimab is a novel, topical anti-TNFα in a registrational trial, and is being developed with a genotype-based approach for treating patients with dry eye disease (DED). Headquartered in Switzerland with operations in the U.S., Iceland and Switzerland, Oculis is led by an experienced management team with a successful track record and supported by leading international healthcare investors.
For more information, please visit: www.oculis.com
Oculis Contact
Ms. Sylvia Cheung, CFO
[email protected]
Investor Relations
LifeSci Advisors
Corey Davis, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Media Relations
ICR Healthcare
Amber Fennell
[email protected]
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements and information. For example, statements regarding the potential benefits of the Company’s product candidates, the initiation, timing, progress and results of current and future clinical trials, Oculis’ research and development programs, regulatory and business strategy; Oculis’ future development plans; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals; and Oculis’ cash runway are forward-looking. The clinical trial results presented in this press release are topline and preliminary and subject to change, as analysis is ongoing. All forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Oculis and its management, are inherently uncertain and are inherently subject to risks, variability, and contingencies, many of which are beyond Oculis’ control. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, assurance, prediction or definitive statement of a fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that we expected and/or those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of Oculis, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Oculis’ annual report on Form 20-F and any other documents filed with the SEC. Copies of these documents are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Oculis undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.