Astellas Pharma announced it will present a broad range of new research on geographic atrophy (GA) at the upcoming Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual meeting, taking place May 3-7 in Denver, Colorado.
The company will feature nine abstracts spanning its approved therapy Izervay (avacincaptad pegol) and its investigational pipeline, including ASP7317, a retinal cell-based therapy currently under evaluation for advanced GA.
A key highlight of the program is an oral presentation of preliminary phase 1b data for ASP7317, an investigational retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells. The therapy is being studied in a multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation trial and represents one of the first pluripotent stem cell-derived ophthalmic treatments to reach clinical evaluation.
In addition, an encore oral presentation will share 3.5-year safety and efficacy results from the GATHER2 open-label extension trial of Izervay, which is approved for the treatment of GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in several global markets.
Beyond these oral sessions, Astellas will present multiple posters exploring Izervay's clinical and real-world impact. Topics include its mechanism of action as a complement C5 inhibitor, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity following intravitreal injection, and its role in maintaining driving eligibility among patients with GA. Additional research will examine treatment-seeking behavior through patient and caregiver interviews.
The company will also present findings from an epidemiology study on Stargardt-type macular dystrophies—rare inherited retinal diseases characterized by progressive vision loss.
“At Astellas, we are deeply committed to advancing science that can meaningfully change the trajectory of vision-threatening retinal diseases,” said Marci English, Senior Vice President, Biopharma and Ophthalmology Development at Astellas Pharma. “The breadth of data we are presenting at ARVO underscores our continued focus on innovation, including novel pipeline candidates like ASP7317, while also working to improve long-term outcomes in GA with Izervay.”
Key Presentations at ARVO 2026
Oral presentations include:
- Preliminary Phase 1b results for ASP7317 (May 7, 1:15–1:30 PM MT)
- Long-term GATHER2 extension data for IZERVAY (May 7, 3:30–3:45 PM MT)
Poster sessions will cover:
- Mechanistic insights into complement C5 inhibition
- Cellular response models related to retinal disease pathways
- Driving eligibility outcomes in treated patients
- Pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity data
- Patient and caregiver perspectives on treatment decisions
- Epidemiology of Stargardt disease and related dystrophies
