Extending Intraocular Injections to Once Every Six Months: EYC-0305 Enters Human Trials for the First Time

The challenge of treating wet age-related macular degeneration lies not only in preventing vision deterioration, but also in whether patients can tolerate repeated intraocular injections over the long term. Eyconis announced that the first patients have been dosed with its long-acting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor candidate EYC-0305 in the OVERTURE trial, formally marking its entry into first-in-human research.

EYC-0305 is an anti-VEGF antibody fragment formulation made using TransCon technology. It is designed to temporarily link the drug to biodegradable hyaluronic acid hydrogel microparticles, gradually releasing the unmodified active ingredient inside the eye. The company hopes that a single standard intravitreal injection can maintain retinal drug exposure for at least six months, without requiring an implanted device or surgery.

OVERTURE, registration number NCT07587515, is sponsored by Eyconis and is an open-label Phase 1b/2a dose-escalation study. The trial plans to recruit 30 treatment-naive patients with neovascular, or wet, age-related macular degeneration, who will sequentially enter four dose cohorts. Both the trial registry and a specialist ophthalmology publication state that EYC-0305 will be injected once every 24 weeks.

The study’s first question is not whether dosing every six months is superior to existing treatments, but whether different doses can be used safely. Assessments include ocular and systemic safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, disease activity, and changes in vision. Registry data show that the study began on May 19, 2026, with both the primary phase and the overall study expected to be completed in May 2028. Recruitment pages from participating centers also list the trial as ongoing.

Anti-VEGF therapies inhibit the signals that cause abnormal retinal blood vessel growth and leakage and are central to the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. However, repeated clinic visits and injections increase the burden on patients, caregivers, and healthcare systems. If treatment is interrupted, vision loss that could otherwise have been prevented may become irreversible. Extending the duration of action has therefore become an important focus in the development of new ophthalmic drugs.

EYC-0305’s six-month target currently remains part of the drug’s design and clinical dosing regimen and cannot be regarded as proven efficacy in humans. This study is small, open-label, and has no control group, and no data have yet been released on safety, vision, or control of retinal fluid. Even if early results support dosing every 24 weeks, larger subsequent trials with comparator groups will still be needed to confirm the durability of its efficacy and its value relative to existing anti-VEGF therapies.