A dual-action anti-VEGF eye injection
Faricimab
A newer dual-action injection into the eye for wet AMD and diabetic eye swelling, allowing longer gaps between treatments.
What is Faricimab?
Faricimab is a newer eye injection that blocks two signals at once, VEGF and a second one called Ang-2, both of which make blood vessels at the back of the eye leaky and unstable. It is used for wet age-related macular degeneration and for swelling from diabetic eye disease. Because it has this dual action, many people can have longer gaps between injections than with older treatments. It is given by an eye specialist in a clean clinic, and the same eye-safety warnings apply: a painful, red or suddenly blurred eye after an injection must be reported urgently.
Education and reference only. This is a plain-language guide to Faricimab — it deliberately contains no doses. Doses depend on the person, the brand and the reason for treatment, and belong with your prescriber. Always check the BNF, the product labelling (SmPC) and follow medical advice.
What it is
Faricimab is a newer anti-VEGF medicine that is dual-action: as well as blocking VEGF, it blocks a second signal called angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2). Both signals contribute to the leaky, unstable blood vessels behind the eye in wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease. By targeting both, it aims to settle the retina more durably, which can allow longer intervals between injections. Like other anti-VEGF treatments, it is given as a small injection into the eye by an eye specialist.
How it works
Faricimab blocks VEGF, which drives abnormal vessel growth and leakage, and also blocks Ang-2, which destabilises blood vessels and makes them more prone to leak. By calming both pathways, it helps reduce fluid under the retina and stabilise the vessels, which can give a longer-lasting effect. This dual action is why many people can have wider gaps between injections, although regular review is still needed to find the right interval for each person.
Company & origin
Originated / developed by: Roche / Genentech.
A newer dual-action eye injection used by eye specialists in the UK for wet AMD and diabetic macular oedema, allowing longer gaps between injections.
Practical use
How to take Faricimab
General, dose-free guidance — always follow your prescriber's and the leaflet's specific instructions.
- It is given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist in a clinic; it is not used at home.
- Numbing drops and an antiseptic are used first, and a clean technique reduces the risk of infection.
- Attend your injection and review appointments so the specialist can find the longest safe gap between treatments for you.
- Do not rub your eye afterwards, and use any drops you are given exactly as directed.
- Seek urgent eye-clinic advice if your eye becomes painful, increasingly red, or your vision suddenly worsens after an injection.
Weighing it up
Advantages & disadvantages of Faricimab
Advantages
- A dual-action treatment that blocks both VEGF and Ang-2, aiming to settle the retina more durably.
- Can allow longer gaps between injections for many people, meaning fewer clinic visits over time.
- Acts mainly within the eye, so it has little effect on the rest of the body.
Disadvantages
- Still needs repeated injections and regular reviews to find and keep the right interval.
- Carries the same small but serious risk of eye infection (endophthalmitis) and raised eye pressure.
- As a newer treatment, very long-term experience is still building compared with older options.
Practical use
Good to know
Faricimab is one of the newer anti-VEGF eye injections, and its main practical attraction is that its dual action can allow longer gaps between treatments for many people, meaning fewer clinic visits. In every other respect it is given and monitored like other eye injections, and the same safety warnings apply. The injection is a routine procedure with numbing drops and a clean technique. The key risk to recognise is a rare but serious eye infection (endophthalmitis) and a temporary rise in eye pressure: in the days after an injection, watch for a painful, increasingly red eye, worsening vision, new floaters or light sensitivity, and get urgent eye-clinic advice. Mild redness, grittiness, a small bloodshot patch or brief floaters are common and usually settle. The right injection interval is found by reviewing how your eye responds.
Who should not take it / use with caution
- People with an active or suspected eye infection should not be injected until it is treated.
- It is avoided if you have had a serious allergic reaction to faricimab or any of its ingredients.
- Used with caution, after weighing the risks, in pregnancy and breastfeeding and after a recent stroke or heart attack.
Monitoring
- Eye examinations and scans (such as OCT) to judge the response and set the interval between injections.
- Checking eye pressure and looking for any signs of infection or inflammation after injections.
- Reviewing your vision over the course of treatment to find the longest safe gap between injections.
Side effects
- Temporary eye redness, soreness, grittiness, a small bloodshot patch or floaters that usually settle within days.
- A short-lived rise in eye pressure after the injection, which the clinic checks for.
- Rarely, a serious eye infection (endophthalmitis), inflammation inside the eye, retinal detachment or a sudden loss of vision, all needing urgent care.
Key interactions
- Because it works locally in the eye, important interactions with tablets and other medicines are uncommon.
- Tell the clinic about any blood-thinning medicines, although these are not usually a reason to stop treatment.
- If switching from another anti-VEGF injection, the specialist will plan the timing and the affected eye.
Available as: Solution given as an injection into the eye by an eye specialist.
Answers
Faricimab: frequently asked questions
What does dual-action mean for faricimab?
It blocks two signals, VEGF and Ang-2, that both make the blood vessels behind the eye leaky and unstable, which can settle the retina more durably and allow longer gaps between injections.
Will I need fewer injections?
Many people can have wider gaps between injections than with older treatments, but the right interval is found by reviewing how your eye responds, so it varies from person to person.
Is faricimab safe?
It is given as a routine procedure with numbing drops and a clean technique; the same eye-safety warnings apply, and the main serious risk, a deep eye infection or inflammation, is rare but should be reported promptly.
What should I watch for after the injection?
Seek urgent eye-clinic advice if your eye becomes painful, increasingly red, very sensitive to light, or your vision suddenly worsens, as these can signal a serious infection or inflammation.
Does it cure my eye condition?
It controls the leakage and protects, and often improves, your sight rather than curing the underlying condition, so ongoing treatment is usually needed.
The wider class
About Anti-VEGF eye injection
Faricimab belongs to the anti-vegf eye injection class. For how the class as a whole works, its shared safety principles and monitoring, see the full guide.
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Authoritative sources
- BNF
- NICE CKS
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