Merck reports remigromig trial results in diabetic macular edema

• Merck (NYSE:MRK) reported topline results from the Phase 2b/3 BRUNELLO trial evaluating remigromig in diabetic macular edema (DME).
• Both remigromig doses met the trial’s primary objective of non-inferiority compared with ranibizumab for visual acuity improvement at 52 weeks.
• Additional safety analyses are underway after higher rates of certain eye-related adverse events were observed in remigromig treatment groups.

Merck (NYSE:MRK) announced topline results from the pivotal Phase 2b/3 BRUNELLO trial evaluating remigromig (MK-3000, formerly EYE103) in adults with diabetic macular edema (DME).

The study is the first of two Phase 2b/3 trials evaluating remigromig, an investigational tetravalent, tri-specific antibody designed to activate the Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) pathway, which plays a role in repairing and maintaining the blood-retinal barrier.

At 52 weeks, both remigromig doses tested — 0.5 mg and 0.8 mg — demonstrated non-inferiority to the active control ranibizumab 0.5 mg for the mean change from baseline in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Merck reported that remigromig was generally well tolerated, although higher rates of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage, and treatment discontinuations due to adverse events were observed in the remigromig groups compared with ranibizumab.

The company said further analyses are underway to better understand these findings.

The BRUNELLO one-year results are scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting in New Orleans on October 10, 2026.

Merck said remigromig is being developed as part of its broader ophthalmology pipeline focused on retinal diseases involving vascular leakage and abnormal blood vessel growth, including diabetic macular edema, wet age-related macular degeneration, and retinal vein occlusion-related macular edema.

The company is also advancing MK-8748 (Tiespectus, EYE201), a separate investigational bispecific antibody targeting Tie2 and VEGF pathways, in retinal disease trials.