A peptide eye drop called CG-P5 may offer a noninvasive and self-administered alternative to intravitreal injections for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, according to phase 1 data presented at Retina World Congress 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. CG-P5, which is being developed by South Korean biotechnology company Caregen, demonstrated reductions in retinal fluid and disease activity comparable to standard-of-care aflibercept 2 mg (Eylea; Regeneron), while potentially reducing treatment burden, said Mahita Kadmiel, PhD.
The phase 1 study, presented by Kadmiel and led by David Almeida, MD, MBA, PhD, of Erie Retina Research in Erie, Pennsylvania and four additional sites, enrolled 45 patients aged 50 years or older with diagnosed nAMD. Participants were equally assigned to 3 arms: placebo eye drops, monthly intravitreal aflibercept injections, or CG-P5 topical peptide drops self-administered daily for 84 days. Primary endpoints focused on safety. Secondary efficacy endpoints included changes in central subfield thickness (CST).
According to Kadmiel, the study met its primary anatomical efficacy signal, with CG-P5 producing a statistically significant reduction in CST compared with placebo at day 56. She noted that the magnitude of CST reduction was comparable to that of aflibercept, suggesting that topical administration achieved a clinically meaningful reduction in retinal thickness.
CG-P5 was also well tolerated, with no severe adverse events reported. Approximately 20% of patients in the treatment group experienced mild, temporary study eye irritation, which resolved quickly, according to Kadmiel.
An additional exploratory analysis included 19 evaluable patients whose ocular coherence tomography (OCT) volumetric data were assessed by an independent masked reading center. Among these patients, CG-P5 achieved an 83% intraretinal fluid clearance rate at day 56, compared with 60% for aflibercept and 25% for placebo.
The phase 1 study also included advanced OCT biomarker analysis evaluating a composite disease activity index incorporating intraretinal fluid, subretinal fluid, and subretinal hyperreflective material. CG-P5 produced an approximately 78% reduction in disease activity by day 84, compared with a 57% reduction in the aflibercept arm.
“When you put all of these key clinical outcomes together, CG-P5 either exceeds or matches the standard-of-care treatment,” said Dr. Kadmiel.
Dr. Kadmiel emphasized that larger studies will be needed to confirm efficacy and durability but suggested the therapy could represent a major shift in nAMD management if future trials are successful. “CG-P5 has the potential to become the first noninvasive topical therapy for treatment of neovascular AMD,” she said, “with the hope that there will be fewer needles into the eyes and more eye drops.” RP