Pronunciation: vah-BYE-smo
Generic name: faricimab-svoa
Dosage form: intravitreal injection (120 mg/mL single-dose vial), (120 mg/mL solution single-dose prefilled syringe)
Drug class: Anti-angiogenic ophthalmic agents

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 20, 2024.

What is Vabysmo Injection?

Vabysmo (faricimab-svoa ) injection is used to improve and maintain vision in wet age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), or macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in adults. These conditions are among the leading causes of vision loss, when not treated. 

In wet AMD, DME, and macular edema after RVO, two proteins, called VEGF and Ang-2, let abnormal blood vessels grow which causes fluid leakage and swellings into the eye which may lead to eye damage and possible vision loss. Vabysmo works by blocking the two proteins, VEGF and Ang-2, so there is less swelling and fluid in the eye and this helps maintain and improve vision, so you will see better.

Vabysmo mechanism of action is as a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) inhibitor that is given by an injection into the eye (intravitreal injection) . Vabysmo is a bispecific antibody.

Vabysmo injection is given every four weeks for the first four doses, then the dosing interval may change depending on the results of eye evaluations and which condition is being treated.

Vabysmo is available as a prefilled syringe (PFS) and a single-dose vial.

Who can use Vabysmo?

Vabysmo injection is an FDA-approved medication to treat:

• Wet (neovascular) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD)
• Diabetic macular edema (DME), or
• Macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

What is macular edema following RVO?

When you have a retinal vein occlusion, veins in the back of the eye become blocked, causing fluid to leak into the eye. Depending on the size and location of the blockage, this can lead to blurred vision or vision loss. The two proteins VEGF and Ang-2 are involved in fluid leakage and swelling.
When Vabysmo blocks VEGF and Ang-2 it may help improve vision in Macular edema following RVO.

What is diabetic macular edema (DME)?

In diabetic macular edema, too much blood sugar damages blood vessels in the back of the eye, in an area called the macula. This is part of the eye that controls sharp, straight-ahead vision. Fluid leaks out of the damaged blood vessels, causing the macula to swell and resulting in blurred vision and vision loss. The two proteins, VEGF and Ang-2, are involved in fluid leakage and swelling. When Vabysmo blocks VEGF and Ang-2 it may help improve vision in diabetic macular edema.

What is wet age-related macular degeneration (nAMD)?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease due to aging causing damage to the macular, which is important for sharp straight-ahead vision. Wet AMD is caused by abnormal blood vessels growing in the macular part of the eye. These blood vessels leak fluid, causing swelling with blurring and vision loss. The two proteins, VEGF and Ang-2, are involved in fluid leakage and swelling. When Vabysmo blocks VEGF and Ang-2 it may help improve vision in wet age-related macular degeneration. Wet age-related macular degeneration is sometimes called neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Vabysmo side effects

Common Vabysmo side effects

Common Vabysmo side effects are cataracts (15%) and bleeding in the white part of the eye (8%).

Serious Vabysmo side effects

Vabysmo may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

• signs of eye infection - swelling, severe discomfort, crusting, or drainage;
• severe eye redness or pain;
• eyes being more sensitive to light; or
• changes in your vision.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Related/similar drugs

Warnings

Do not receive Vabysmo eye injection if you:

• have an infection in or around your eye
• your eye is red, inflamed, or painful
• are allergic to the active ingredient aricimab-svoa or any of the inactive ingredients. See the bottom of this document for a full list of ingredients.

Eye infections (endophthalmitis) or separation of the layers of the retina (retinal detachment) can occur following eye injections such as Vabysmo. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have:

• increasing eye pain
• vision loss
• sensitivity to light
• redness in the white of the eye.

Temporary increases in the pressure in the eye (also called intraocular pressure) within 60 minutes of an injection have been reported with Vabysmo.

There is a risk of serious, sometimes fatal, blood clots, such as heart attacks or strokes (thromboembolic events) associated with the use of VEGF inhibitors, such as Vabysmo.

Before receiving Vabysmo

You should not receive Vabysmo eye injection if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• swelling, redness, pain inside or around your eyes; or
• any type of infection in or around your eyes.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• a heart attack or stroke; or
• glaucoma or any other condition that increases pressure inside your eyes.

Pregnancy

Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, as there is a potential risk to the unborn baby from Vabysmo. You should use effective birth control while using this medicine and for at least 3 months after your last dose. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Breastfeeding

Ask a doctor if it is safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. It is not known if Vabysmo passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you receive this medicine.

How should I receive Vabysmo?

Vabysmo is administered by a healthcare professional and is given as an injection into your eye. Your healthcare provider should anesthetize your eye first, so the injection is usually painless.

• A separate syringe will be used for each eye.
• Immediately after Vabysmo is administered, your healthcare provider will check for an increase in the fluid pressure in your eye (intraocular pressure).
• Vabysmo is usually given initially every 4 weeks for the first 4-6 doses and then as advised by your healthcare professional.

What is Vabysmo cost?

The Vabysmo cost varies depending on your insurance plan and which pharmacy you use. For Vabysmo cost please refer to our price guide page for more information.

You may also be eligible for a Vabysmo savings card or Vabysmo coupon. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you qualify.

Vabysmo phone number for questions

The Genentech Ophthalmology Support Line is available if you have questions so you can quickly access the information and support you need. 

Vabysmo phone number for questions is  (833) EYE-GENE/(833) 393-4363 and is available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 8 pm ET.
There is also a Patients Support Program and financial assistance available.

Vabysmo dosing information

Neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration dosage

• The recommended dose is 6 mg (0.05 mL of 120 mg/mL solution) every 4 weeks, approximately for the first 4 doses.
• Your healthcare provider will then do optical coherence tomography and visual acuity evaluations after 8 and 12 weeks to guide further dosing, which dosing regime will be used thereafter.
• Regimen 1: Weeks 28 and 44; OR
• Regimen 2: Weeks 24, 36, and 48; OR
• Regimen 3: Weeks 20, 28, 36, and 44

Diabetic Macular Edema dosage

There are two main dosage regimens for Vabysmo for DME.

Regime one:

• 6 mg administered by intravitreal injection every 4 weeks for at least 4 doses. Further dosing is guided by optical coherence tomography.

Regime two:

• 6 mg administered by intravitreal injection every 4 weeks for the first 6 doses, followed by 6 mg dose via intravitreal injection at intervals of every 8 weeks (2 months) over the next 28 weeks. Further dosing is guided by optical coherence tomography.

Macular Edema Following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO)  dosage

• The recommended dose is 6 mg (0.05 mL of 120 mg/mL) administered by intravitreal injection every 4 weeks (approximately every 28 ± 7 days, monthly) for 6 months. 

Click the link below for detailed dosing instructions.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your faricimab ophthalmic injection.

What happens if I overdose?

In a medical setting, an overdose would be treated quickly.

What should I avoid while receiving Vabysmo?

Your vision may be impaired after receiving an eye injection or after an eye exam. Do not drive or use machinery until your vision has recovered sufficiently.

What other drugs will affect Vabysmo?

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Click the link below to check for interactions with this medicine.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator between 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F).

Do not freeze, do not shake, and keep the vial in the original carton to protect it from light.

Before use, the unopened glass vial of Vabysmo may be kept at room temperature, 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F), for up to 24 hours. Once drawn up, the injection must be given immediately.

Ingredients

Active ingredient: faricimab 120mg/mL

Inactive ingredients: Each single-dose vial is designed to deliver 0.05 mL (50 microliters) of solution containing 6 mg faricimab-svoa, L-histidine (155 mcg), L-methionine (52.2 mcg), polysorbate 20 (20 mcg), sodium chloride (73.1 mcg), D-sucrose (2.74 mg) and Water for Injection, adjusted to pH 5.5 with acetic acid.

Does not contain an anti-microbial preservative.

Manufacturer

Genetech, Inc., a member of the Roche Group.

Vabysmo Biosimilars

Biosimilar and interchangeable products are biological products that are highly similar to and have no clinically meaningful differences from the reference product.

Reference products

These are biological products that have already been approved by the FDA, against which biosimilar products are compared. There is 1 for Vabysmo.

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Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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