# Merck Remigromig Trial Meets Primary Endpoint in Diabetic Macular Edema Study

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/merck-remigromig-trial-meets-primary-endpoint-in-diabetic-macular-edema-study-122949
- Published: 2026-10-10T22:10:00Z
- Category: company_news; sentiment: mixed; impact: medium
- Symbols: [NYSE:MRK](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/NYSE-MRK)
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Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) announced one-year results from its pivotal Phase 2b/3 BRUNELLO trial evaluating remigromig in adults with diabetic macular edema. Both tested doses of the investigational drug met the primary endpoint by demonstrating non-inferiority in visual acuity gains compared to standard monthly ranibizumab treatment. Patients receiving 0.5 mg and 0.8 mg doses of remigromig gained an average of 9.1 and 8.7 letters, respectively, compared to 11.8 letters for ranibizumab.

Remigromig is an investigational antibody that activates the Wnt pathway to repair and protect the blood-retinal barrier, making it the first new mechanism of action in over two decades to match standard anti-VEGF therapy vision gains in a pivotal study. Up to 40% of patients with diabetic macular edema do not respond adequately to current treatments. However, adverse events related to proliferative diabetic retinopathy occurred in 6.7% and 6.1% of patients in the remigromig arms, compared to 0.9% for ranibizumab, alongside higher treatment discontinuation rates.

Merck plans to discuss the BRUNELLO trial findings with regulatory authorities. The drug is also being evaluated in the ongoing Phase 2b/3 BAROLO trial for diabetic macular edema and additional studies for wet age-related macular degeneration and retinal vein occlusion.

## Key points

- Both doses of Merck's remigromig met the primary endpoint of non-inferior vision gains compared to ranibizumab at one year.
- Remigromig represents the first new mechanism of action in over 20 years to demonstrate non-inferior vision gains in a pivotal DME study.
- Adverse events linked to proliferative diabetic retinopathy were higher in remigromig arms (6.1%-6.7%) than ranibizumab (0.9%).
- Merck will discuss results with regulatory bodies while continuing additional Phase 3 trials.

## Questions and answers

### Did Merck remigromig meet its primary endpoint in the BRUNELLO trial?

Yes, both the 0.5 mg and 0.8 mg dose arms of remigromig met the primary endpoint, demonstrating non-inferior visual acuity gains at one year compared with ranibizumab.

### How does Merck remigromig work for diabetic macular edema?

Remigromig activates the Wnt pathway to assist in repairing and maintaining the blood-retinal barrier, representing a new mechanism of action outside traditional anti-VEGF therapies.

### What were the safety findings for remigromig in the BRUNELLO study?

Remigromig was generally well tolerated, but rates of proliferative diabetic retinopathy were higher in remigromig arms (6.1% to 6.7%) compared to ranibizumab (0.9%), as were treatment discontinuations.