Brolucizumab: First Approval

Brolucizumab (Beovu) is a low molecular weight, single-chain antibody fragment vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor being developed by Novartis for the treatment of exudative (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular oedema and macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion. Based primarily on the results of the phase III HAWK and HARRIER trials brolucizumab was recently approved in the US for the treatment of wet AMD. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of brolucizumab leading to this first approval.