EURETINA 2025: Jay Chhablani, MD, provides an update on gene therapy for AMD and GA

At the 2025 European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) congress, Jay Chhablani, MD, shared new gene therapy findings in a symposium focused on late-breaking data. Dr Chhablani is vice chair of clinical trials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Vision Institute in Pittsburgh, PA.

Following the EURETINA meeting, Dr Chhablani sat down with Hattie Hayes, editor of Ophthalmology Times Europe, to discuss those results, which stemmed from the Phase1/2 ArMaDa trial. The ongoing ArMaDa trial is investigating OCU410 (Ocugen), a novel modifier gene therapy for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The late-breaking results pertained to safety and efficacy findings, and Dr Chhablani indicated that plans for a Phase 3 study are underway. More information on ArMaDa Phase 3 is expected in 2026.

In this conversation, Dr Chhablani discussed the study design. Phase 1, a dose escalation study, enrolled patients in low-, medium- and high-dose groups. Meanwhile, Phase 2 was a dose expansion study. He reviewed inclusion critera, including GA lesion size, and primary safety outcomes. Watch the full video to learn about the reported results, which include slower GA lesion growth and early indications of functional improvement.