Unsuccessful Clinical Trials in Retina: Lessons Learned

The authors aim to analyze the patterns and reasons behind the non-success of phase 2 and 3 interventional retinal clinical trials conducted in the U.S. from 2015 to 2025. They found that high attrition rates were prevalent, particularly in trials for diabetic macular edema and neovascular age-related macular degeneration, with factors such as endpoint selection and operational challenges contributing to these failures. The study highlights the need for better alignment of biological rationale and operational feasibility to improve the translation of early-stage findings into successful late-phase outcomes in retinal drug development.