Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Repeat Intravitreal Injections of Foselutoclax (UBX1325) in Patients With DME (ASPIRE) (ASPIRE)

July 17, 2025 updated by: Unity Biotechnology, Inc.

A Phase 2b, Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Active-Controlled Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Repeat Intravitreal Injections of Foselutoclax (UBX1325) in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the efficacy and safety of multiple doses of foselutoclax (UBX1325) in patients with Diabetic Macular Edema. The main questions the study aims to answer are:

  • Assess the efficacy of foselutoclax compared to aflibercept
  • Assess the safety and tolerability of foselutoclax

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study is intended to assess the efficacy and safety of foselutoclax, a phosphate pro-drug, and its active parent molecule (UBX0601, a BCL-xL inhibitor) following repeat intravitreal (IVT) injections of foselutoclax in patients with Diabetic Macular Edema (DME).

Approximately 50 patients will be enrolled and randomized 1:1 into either the foselutoclax arm,10 μg given 8 weeks apart, or the control arm of aflibercept, 2 mg every 8 weeks in order to assess the primary objective. All patients will be followed for approximately 36 weeks.

The injector will be unmasked but the evaluator will remain masked throughout the study.

This study will enroll participants ≥18 years of age with active DME disease despite treatment, with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between 70 to 30 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters (equivalent to 20/40 to 20/250 on the Snellen chart). Once patients meet inclusion/exclusion criteria, patients will receive 3 run-in injections of aflibercept approximately 4 weeks apart, with the last aflibercept injection 4-6 weeks prior to Day 1.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
52

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Bakersfield, California, United States, 93309
        • California Retina Consultants
      • Beverly Hills, California, United States, 90211
        • Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group
      • Huntington Beach, California, United States, 92647
        • Salehi Retina Institute Inc.
      • Walnut Creek, California, United States, 94598
        • Bay Area Retina Associates
    • Colorado
      • Longmont, Colorado, United States, 80503
        • Advanced Vision Research Institute
    • Florida
      • Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States, 33064
        • Rand Eye Institute
      • Melbourne, Florida, United States, 32901
        • Florida Eye Associates
      • Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States, 33711
        • Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida
    • Illinois
      • Lemont, Illinois, United States, 60439
        • University Retina and Macula Associates
    • Indiana
      • Carmel, Indiana, United States, 46290
        • Midwest Eye
    • Maryland
      • Hagerstown, Maryland, United States, 21740
        • Cumberland Valley Retina Consultants
    • Nevada
      • Reno, Nevada, United States, 89502
        • Sierra Eye Associates
    • Oregon
      • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97225
        • EyeHealth Northwest
    • Pennsylvania
      • Erie, Pennsylvania, United States, 16507
        • Erie Retina Research, LLC
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19141
        • Vision Research Solutions, PLLC
    • South Carolina
      • Greenville, South Carolina, United States, 29605
        • Retina Consultants of Carolina
    • Texas
      • Abilene, Texas, United States, 79606
        • Retina Research Institution of Texas
      • Round Rock, Texas, United States, 78681
        • Austin Retina Associates
      • Southlake, Texas, United States, 76092
        • Retina Center Of Texas

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients aged ≥18 years.
  • Patients with nonproliferative DR and DME
  • Center-involved DME with Central Subfield Thickness (CST) ≥325-900 μm
  • BCVA in the SE (most affected) of 70 to 30 ETDRS letters (equivalent to 20/40 to 20/250 on the Snellen chart)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Concurrent disease in the study eye (SE) or structural damage, other than DME, that could compromise BCVA, prevent BCVA improvement, require medical or surgical intervention during the study period, confound interpretation of the results, or interfere with assessment of toxicity or Color Fundus Photography (CFP) in the SE.
  • Significant media opacities, including cataract, or posterior capsule opacification, which might interfere with VA, assessment of toxicity, or fundus imaging in either eye.
  • Any medical condition that is uncontrolled and may prevent participation in this study, as determined by the Investigator or disqualify individuals from enrollment.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Anti-VEGF control arm
Prior to randomization, participants will receive 3 IVT injections of aflibercept over 4-week intervals. Upon randomization, participants will receive 2 mg aflibercept (50 μl of 40 μg/μl solution) IVT on Day 1, Weeks 8, and 16. A sham procedure will also be administered on Day 1.
Drug: Aflibercept
Anti-VEGF control
Experimental: foselutoclax arm
Prior to randomization, participants will receive 3 IVT injections of aflibercept over 4-week intervals. Upon randomization, participants will receive 10 μg foselutoclax (50 μl of 0.2 μg/μl solution) IVT on Day 1 and Weeks 8 and 16. 2 mg aflibercept (50 μl of 40 μg/μl solution) will also be administered on Day 1.
Drug: Aflibercept
Anti-VEGF control
Drug: foselutoclax
Experimental drug
Other Names:
  • UBX1325

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean Change From Baseline to Average of Week 20 and Week 24 in BCVA by ETDRS Letter
Time Frame: Week 24
Mean change from baseline to the average of Week 20 and Week 24 in Best-Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letter
Week 24

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assess Other Efficacy Outcome - Changes in BCVA From Baseline to Week 36
Time Frame: 36 weeks
Changes in BCVA (ETDRS letters) from baseline to Week 36
36 weeks
Assess Other Efficacy Outcome - Changes in CST From Baseline to Week 36
Time Frame: 36 weeks
Change in Central Subfield Thickness (CST) as measured in microns from baseline to Week 36
36 weeks
Assess Other Efficacy Outcome - Rescue Metrics
Time Frame: 36 weeks

At any visit, including Unscheduled visits, patients who exhibited increase in disease activity, were allowed to be rescued with aflibercept. Increase in disease activity was defined as ANY of the following:

  • Worsening CST by ≥75 µm from baseline per SD-OCT
  • A ≥10 letter decrease in BCVA compared to baseline
  • New clinically significant blood or heme present compared to previous visit
  • PI discretion (rationale to be documented in the EDC)
36 weeks
Assess Safety Outcome - Safety and Tolerability
Time Frame: 36 weeks
Number of participants with treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE)
36 weeks
Ocular Safety and Tolerability
Time Frame: 36 weeks
Ocular Safety is evaluated by incidence of ocular Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs).
36 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Unity Biotechnology, Inc.

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Robert Bhisitkul, MD, Ph.D., Unity Biotechnology, Inc.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 23, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 21, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 8, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 2, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 23, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 25, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 5, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 17, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UBX1325-04

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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