Study to Assess Safety and Tolerability of PMC-403 in Subjects With Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration

A Multi-center, Open-Label, Phase 1, Single- and Multiple Ascending Dose Study to Assess Safety and Tolerability of PMC-403 in Subjects With Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration (nAMD).

This is a Phase 1 study, first-in-human (FIH), open label study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and identify the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of PMC-403 and determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: PMC-403

Detailed Description

In this study, Single Ascending Dose (SAD) and Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) will be carried out in a sequential manner.

- PART 1- SAD

The SAD part of the study will be conducted in a step-wise manner for a total of 4 dose levels (0.7 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, 4 mg). To each dose group, 3 subjects at minimum or 6 subjects at maximum will be recruited. In the SAD part, dose escalation will be performed up to 4 mg/eye (50 uL/eye) until the MTD is identified.

In the SAD part, a maximum of 24 participants are to be enrolled.

- PART 2- MAD

Upon the end of the SAD part of the study, the MAD part is planned to be conducted in a step-wise manner for a total of 2 dose levels (3 mg, 4 mg).

In the MAD part will begin with dose level 1 (3 mg). Subjects will be given a total of 3 doses of IP at 4-week intervals over a total period of 12 weeks and will be assessed for safety and tolerability according to study procedures. While a total of 6 subjects are to be recruited per dose group in the MAD part. Dose escalation will be performed up to 4 mg/eye (50 uL/eye) until the MTD is identified.

In the MAD part, a maximum of 12 participants are to be enrolled.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 17
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• South Korea
  • Bundang-gu
    • Seoul, Bundang-gu, South Korea, 13620
      • Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
  • Nam-gu
    • Daegu, Nam-gu, South Korea, 42415
      • Yeungnam university
  • Seodaemun-gu
    • Seoul, Seodaemun-gu, South Korea, 03722
      • Yonsei University Health System
  • Songpa-gu
    • Seoul, Songpa-gu, South Korea, 05505
      • Asan Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

To be eligible for study participation, subjects must meet all of the following inclusion criteria.

* Criteria for the selection of the study eye

If both eyes meet the criteria, the study eye will be selected according to the following criteria:

1. The eye with lower (severer) best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline will be selected as the study eye.

2. If both eyes have the same BCVA, the right eye will be selected as the study.

   1. Male and female ≥50 years of age at the time of written informed consent.
   2. Treatment required, based on the judgment of the investigator, due to insufficient therapeutic efficacy despite ≥ 3 repeated doses of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) intravitreal injection (IVT) for nAMD in the study eye, and the subject's agreement to receive the study drug instead of conventional standard therapy
   3. >12 weeks must have elapsed since the last dose of anti-VEGF IVT at the time of screening.

   4. Active subfoveal or parafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV)* confirmed by fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and IndoCyanine Green (ICG) angiography.

      *Active CNV (confirmed by the central reading center) is defined as the presence of subretinal fluid (SRF) or intraretinal fluid (IRF) in consequence of vascular leakage.

   5. The size of the entire lesion in the study eye (including blood, atrophy, fibrosis, and neovascularization) must be ≤ 9-disc areas, and the area of CNV in the study eye must account for ≥ 50% of the total area of the lesion, as confirmed by FFA and ICG angiography.
   6. BCVA measured in the study eye must be between ≥ 23 letters and ≤ 78 letters based on the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) chart (Snellen visual acuity 20/25 - 20/320).
   7. Voluntary written informed consent to study participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects who meet any of the following exclusion criteria are not eligible for study participation.

1. At the screening visit:

   1. Uncontrolled ocular hypertension (≥ 25 mmHg) despite drug therapy;
   2. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tears involving the macula;
   3. Improvement in visual acuity is not expected due to scars, fibrosis, or atrophy involving the fovea;
   4. Presence of vitreous hemorrhage;
   5. Aphakia or absence of posterior capsule (with the exception of pseudophakic eyes treated with laser posterior capsulotomy);
   6. Presence of any causes of CNV other than nAMD, such as ocular histoplasmosis, trauma, pathological myopia, angioid streak, choroidal rupture, or uveitis; or
   7. Macular pathology that is unrelated to nAMD, but may affect visual acuity or study drug treatment (e.g., macular hole, epiretinal membrane, vitreomacular traction, macular telangiectasia, central serous chorioretinopathy, retinal vascular occlusion, etc.).

2. Any of the following conditions or medical history in either eye:

   1. Current or known history of at least moderate diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema;
   2. Active intraocular or periocular infections or inflammations (e.g., infectious conjunctivitis, keratitis, scleritis, endophthalmitis, infectious blepharitis, etc.); or
   3. History of idiopathic or autoimmune uveitis.

3. Any of the following systemic diseases:

   1. Unstable or serious cardiovascular disorders such as congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association Functional Class III or IV), ventricular tachycardia requiring continuous treatment, unstable angina pectoris, or critical limb ischemia;
   2. Uncontrolled hypertension with systolic or diastolic blood pressure > 160/100 mmHg;
   3. Stroke or myocardial infarction within 24 weeks prior to screening;
   4. Dementia or neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease) that might affect study results during the study period;
   5. History of malignant tumors within 5 years prior to screening; or
   6. Weakened immunity or requiring immunotherapy.

   7. Clinically significant liver/kidney disease or any of the following hematologic test results:

      • Serum creatinine ≥1.5 x upper limit of normal
      • Aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) ≥2 x upper limit of normal

4. Treatment with any of the following systemic drug therapy:

   1. Systemic anti-VEGF therapy within 12 weeks prior to baseline;

   2. Systemic corticosteroids for ≥2 consecutive weeks

      • ≤ 10 mg/day prednisolone or equivalent for less than 2 consecutive weeks will be allowed
      • Inhaled, nasal, and topical steroids will also be allowed
   3. Ongoing treatment with any drugs with potential toxicity to the lens, retina, and optic nerves (e.g., deferoxamine, chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, tamoxifen, phenothiazines, vigabatrin, or ethambutol).

5. Any of the following medical history (surgical or procedural):

   1. Intraocular or periocular injection of corticosteroids (e.g., triamcinolone acetonide, etc.) to the study eye within 24 weeks prior to screening;
   2. Intraocular surgery or laser therapy (e.g., cataract surgery, laser posterior capsulotomy, etc.) to the study eye within 12 weeks prior to screening;
   3. Eyelid surgery within 4 weeks prior to screening;
   4. History of vitrectomy, glaucoma surgery, macular laser treatment, keratoplasty, or retinal detachment surgery; or
   5. History of treatment with radiotherapy around the study eye including radiation retinopathy
6. Any concurrent ophthalmic abnormalities that, based on the judgment of the investigator, may affect the assessment of safety and therapeutic efficacy or may need medical or surgical treatment during the study period (e.g., cloudy ocular media, optic neuropathy, amblyopia, etc.).
7. Hypersensitivity to any of the components of IP or to contrast agents used for FFA and ICG angiography.
8. Pregnant and/or breastfeeding women.

9. Men and women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to use adequate methods of contraception* or who are planning a pregnancy during the study period and for 12 weeks from the last dose of IP

   -Methods of contraception: hormone contraceptives (oral contraceptives, contraceptive patch, etc.), intrauterine device (IUD) (copper IUD, hormonal intrauterine system), double barrier method (both male [condom] and female [diaphragm, vaginal sponge, or cervical cap]), surgical sterilization (tubal sterilization, vasectomy, etc.)

10. Having participated in another clinical trial and treated with an IP within 12 weeks prior to screening
11. Distance vision test result of <0.1 for the fellow eye
12. Other reasons based on which individuals are determined by the investigator to be ineligible for study participation.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: PART 1- SAD; The SAD part of the study will be conducted in a step-wise manner for a total of 4 dose levels of PMC-403.; Dose level 1: 0.7 mg/eye, baseline(Day 0); Dose level 2: 2 mg/eye, baseline(Day 0); Dose level 3: 3 mg/eye, baseline(Day 0); Dose level 4: 4 mg/eye, baseline(Day 0)	Drug: PMC-403; PMC-403 will be administered Intravitreal.; Other Names: Monotherapy
Experimental: PART 2- MAD; Upon the end of the SAD part of the study, the MAD part is planned to be conducted in a step-wise manner for a total of 2 dose levels.; Dose level 1: 3 mg/eye, baseline(Day 0), Week 4(Day 28), Week 8(Day 56); Dose level 2: 4 mg/eye, baseline(Day 0), Week 4(Day 28), Week 8(Day 56)	Drug: PMC-403; PMC-403 will be administered Intravitreal.; Other Names: Monotherapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximum tolerated dose (MTD)	To identify the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and determine the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of PMC-403 in patients with nAMD. MTD of PMC-403 will be calculated by incidence of DLT at 4 weeks from the first dosing of PMC-403.	Baseline upto 4 weeks
Adverse events	For Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), Serious Adverse Events (SAEs), Serious Adverse Drug Reactions (SADRs), and Adverse Events (AEs) leading to study withdrawal, number of subjects, incidence, number of events, and 95% two-sided confidence interval will be presented by dose group.	Baseline upto 5 months
Vital Signs - Pulse Rate (beats/min)	At each visit, pulse rate will be measured. Vital signs collected will be assessed for change before and after IP dosing and/or change in normal/abnormal findings. By dose group, values at each time point will be presented with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Vital Signs - body temperature	At each visit, body temperature will be measured. Vital signs collected will be assessed for change before and after IP dosing and/or change in normal/abnormal findings. By dose group, values at each time point will be presented with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Vital Signs - systolic/diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	At each visit, systolic/diastolic blood pressure will be measured. Vital signs collected will be assessed for change before and after IP dosing and/or change in normal/abnormal findings. By dose group, values at each time point will be presented with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Laboratory tests - Hematology	Hematology will be performed at Visits 1, 2, 5, and 7 and at Follow-up Visits 8 and 9 in the SAD groups and at each visit in the MAD groups. The following Hematology parameters will be recorded: white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet, WBC differential count (neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil) Test results collected will be assessed for change before and after IP dosing and/or change in normal/abnormal findings.	Baseline upto 5 months
Laboratory tests - Blood chemistry	Blood chemistry will be performed at Visits 1, 2, 5, and 7 and at Follow-up Visits 8 and 9 in the SAD groups and at each visit in the MAD groups. The following Blood chemistry parameters will be recorded: glucose, aspartate transaminase (AST; SGOT), alanine transaminase (ALT; SGPT), total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, uric acid, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, C-reactive protein (CRP), HbA1c (to be tested at the screening visit only) Test results collected will be assessed for change before and after IP dosing and/or change in normal/abnormal findings.	Baseline upto 5 months
Laboratory tests - Urinalysis	Urinalysis will be performed at Visits 1, 2, 5, and 7 and at Follow-up Visits 8 and 9 in the SAD groups and at each visit in the MAD groups. For continuous variables, values at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum. Additionally, test results collected will be assessed for change before and after IP dosing and/or change in normal/abnormal findings.	Baseline upto 5 months
Laboratory tests - Blood coagulation	Blood coagulation will be performed at Visits 1, 2, 5, and 7 and at Follow-up Visits 8 and 9 in the SAD groups and at each visit in the MAD groups. For continuous variables, values at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum. Additionally, test results collected will be assessed for change before and after IP dosing and/or change in normal/abnormal findings.	Baseline upto 5 months
Electrocardiogram (ECG)	Test results will be classified into normal/NCS and CS, and change from baseline at each time point and at the last visit will be presented with frequency and percentage in a shift table by dose group. The following ECG parameters will be recorded: heart rate, RR interval, HR interval, QTc interval and QRS interval.	Baseline upto 5 months
Ophthalmologic examination - Slit lamp examination	Slit lamp examination measuring will be performed according to Schedule of Events. For continuous variables, values at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum. The ophthalmologic examination results will be assessed for change in normal/abnormal status before and after IP dosing.	Baseline upto 5 months
Ophthalmologic examination - fundus examination	fundus examination measuring will be performed according to Schedule of Events. For continuous variables, values at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum. The ophthalmologic examination results will be assessed for change in normal/abnormal status before and after IP dosing.	Baseline upto 5 months
Ophthalmologic examination - spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)	SD-OCT will be performed according to Schedule of Events. For continuous variables, values at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum. The ophthalmologic examination results will be assessed for change in normal/abnormal status before and after IP dosing.	Baseline upto 5 months
Ophthalmologic examination - intraocular pressure (IOP)	IOP will be performed according to Schedule of Events. During the study visits involving IP dosing (SAD: Visits 2, MAD: Visits 2, 5, 7), IOP will be measured a total of 3 times (once before dosing and twice after dosing). For continuous variables, values at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum. The ophthalmologic examination results will be assessed for change in normal/abnormal status before and after IP dosing.	Baseline upto 5 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA)	It is measured by early treatment of diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) chart at each point of visit. For BCVA will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Change in central retinal thickness (CRT)	It is measured by SD-OCT at each point of visit. For CRT will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Presence of intraretinal fluid (IRF)	It is measured by SD-OCT at each point of visit. For presence of IRF frequency, percentage, and 95% confidence interval will be presented by dose group.	Baseline upto 5 months
Presence of subretinal fluid (SRF)	It is measured by SD-OCT at each point of visit. For presence of SRF frequency, percentage, and 95% confidence interval will be presented by dose group.	Baseline upto 5 months
Presence of sub-RPE fluid	It is measured by SD-OCT at each point of visit. For presence of sub-RPE fluid frequency, percentage, and 95% confidence interval will be presented by dose group.	Baseline upto 5 months
Change from baseline in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) lesion size as measured by Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA)	FFA will be performed to measure the size of CNV lesions and to assess vascular leakage. For CNV lesion size will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Change from baseline in CNV lesion size as measured by ICG angiography	ICG angiography will be performed to measure the size of CNV lesions and to assess vascular leakage. For CNV lesion size will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and change from baseline at each time point will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pharmacokinetic parameters - Area under the blood concentration-time curve (AUC)	Area under the blood concentration-time curve from baseline to each by time point. For PK endpoints, continuous variables will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Pharmacokinetic parameters - Maximum blood concentration (Cmax)	Maximum concentration of drug by dose level. For PK endpoints, continuous variables will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Pharmacokinetic parameters - Minimum blood concentration (Cmin)	Minimum concentration of drug by dose level. For PK endpoints, continuous variables will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Pharmacokinetic parameters - Clearance (CL)	Clearance by dose level. For PK endpoints, continuous variables will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Pharmacokinetic parameters - Volume of distribution (Vd)	Volume of distribution by dose level. For PK endpoints, continuous variables will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Pharmacokinetic parameters - Half-life (T1/2)	Half-life by dose level. For PK endpoints, continuous variables will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum.	Baseline upto 5 months
Immunogenicity parameters - ADA formation rate	Presence anti-drug antibody (ADA). For immunogenicity assessment, categorical variables will be presented by dose group with frequency, percentage, and 95% confidence interval.	Baseline upto 5 months
Exploratory assessment -Change from baseline in CNV activity as measured by OCTA.	For OCTA assessment, continuous variables will be presented by dose group with number of subjects, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum; and categorical variables will be presented by dose group with frequency, percentage, and 95% confidence interval.	Baseline upto 5 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: PharmAbcine
• Collaborators: C&R Research, Inc.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: SeJoon Woo, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 20, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 22, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): December 17, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 14, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 11, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): July 19, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 30, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 23, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: PMC-403
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Eye Diseases; Retinal Degeneration; Retinal Diseases; Macular Degeneration; Wet Macular Degeneration
• Other Study ID Numbers: PMC403-A01

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: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No