Anti-Ang2-Anti-VEGFA Bispecific Antibody (Faricimab)

Faricimab, also known as RG7716, is a bispecific antibody that targets Ang2 (angiopoietin 2) and VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A). VEGFA (Vascular endothelial growth factor A) belongs to the VEGF family of homodimer glycoproteins and is produced and secreted by various cells when angiogenesis is required. VEGFA can bind to both VEGFR1 (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1) and VEGFR2, also known as KDR (kinase insert domain receptor), on the surface of endothelial cells or cancer cells. The VEGF-VEGFR signal pathway has been a significant target in therapeutic strategies aimed at controlling angiogenesis in diseases like cancer and AMD (age macular degeneration). Ang2 (angiopoietin-2) is a ligand of Tie2 and is a cytokine that has proangiogenic, proinflammatory and prometastic potential. It cooperates with VEGF, and thus targeting both VEGFA and Ang2 was considered a more potent approach in cases where targeting VEGFR was not fully successful. Faricimab, a bispecific targeting both VEGFA and Ang2, has been developped and it is now commercialized under the name Vabysmo. Vabysmo is used in AMD and DME (diabetic macular edema).