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Efficacy Comparison of DExamethasone Intravitreal Implant Combined With Aflibercept Versus Aflibercept Monotherapy in Treatment-naïve Inflammatory Diabetic Macular Edema Patients

Efficacy Comparison of DExamethasone Intravitreal Implant Combined With Aflibercept Versus Aflibercept Monotherapy in Treatment-naïve Inflammatory Diabetic Macular Edema Patients (DECADE Study)

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07438119
Acronym
DECADE
Enrollment
114
Registered
2026-02-27
Start date
2026-03-15
Completion date
2028-03-15
Last updated
2026-02-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

Keywords

DME, aflibercept, dexamethasone implant, Biomarker

Brief summary

This is a 12-month, prospective, randomized controlled, multi-center, open-label, superiority designed study. Treatment-Naïve DME patient with inflammatory biomarkers, who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria, will be recruited. This study aims to provide the first direct comparative evidence within a Chinese cohort, evaluating the efficacy and safety of a combined DEX-I plus aflibercept therapy versus aflibercept monotherapy for DME. The investigation will focus on functional visual outcomes, anatomical improvements, and the respective safety profiles associated with each treatment regimen. Furthermore, the study will incorporate specific optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers to refine patient selection, with the goal of enhancing the precision of identifying candidates for combination therapy. It is hypothesized that the combination therapy, by concurrently targeting both VEGF-mediated and inflammatory pathways, may yield superior clinical outcomes compared to monotherapy.

Interventions

DRUGCombination Therapy with Aflibercept Intravitreous Injection (2mg) and Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant

This group shall receive a combination of Aflibercept Intravitreous Injection (2 mg) and the Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant (DEX-I, 0.7 mg).

DRUGAflibercept Intravitreous Injection (2mg) Monotherapy

This group shall be designated to receive Aflibercept Intravitreous Injection at the recommended dose of 2 mg as a standalone treatment. (standard treatment)

Sponsors

Kun Liu
Lead SponsorOTHER
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University
CollaboratorOTHER
Peking University People's Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
The General Hospital of Central Theater Command
CollaboratorOTHER
First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University
CollaboratorOTHER
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University
CollaboratorOTHER
Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University
CollaboratorOTHER
West China Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
The First People's Hospital of Xuzhou
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

All of the following conditions must be met simultaneously: 1. Age ≥ 18 years, diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (type Ⅰor type Ⅱ). 2. With good glycaemic control and glycated haemoglobin ≤10.0%. 3. DR stage II-IV. 4. Treatment with aflibercept intravitreal injection is planned for center-involved diabetic macular edema (CI-DME) , Central macular thickness (CMT) ≥300 μm in the 1-mm-diameter zone around fovea with best corrected visual acuity(BCVA) \<20/25. 5. Presence on OCT imaging of one or more of the following findings in the study eye(within 1000-μm-diameter of the center of the fovea): central macular thickness (CMT) ≥500μm, foveal intraretinal cystoid spaces ≥300μm in height or ≥250μm in width(large IRC), serous retinal detachment (SRD), Intraretinal hyperreflective dots (HRDs), Hard exudates (HEs). 6. No refractive interstitial clouding and pupillary constriction affecting fundus examination.

Exclusion criteria

1. Grade III and IV cataracts, or those with post-comorbid subcapsular cataracts, 2. Other macular degeneration such as Macular epiretinal membrane and Macular Hole, etc., or macular edema caused by other causes such as uveitis, retinal vein occlusion, etc., 3. Combined with diabetic optic neuropathy, 4. Any prior use of an approved or investigational treatment for DME in the study eye such as anti-VEGF drugs or corticosteroids drugs etc., 5. History of vitreoretinal surgery and/or including scleral buckling in the study eye, 6. Transscleral fixated IOLs and ruptured posterior lens capsule, 7. Active or suspected ocular and periocular infections, 8. Advanced glaucoma or uncontrolled glaucoma with anti-glaucoma drugs; Or a history of glucocorticoid-induced elevated intraocular pressure, 9. Systemic conditions such as asthma, severe hypertension, cerebrovascular accident or myocardial infarction, or other reasons for not being able to co-operate with the relevant examination, 10. Pregnant or lactating, 11. Patients with hypersensitivity to dexamethasone or to any other components of the product, 12. Patients are allergic to aflibercept or any of the ingredients Aflibercept Intravitreous Injection.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Change in central macular thickness (CMT) of each group from baseline to the end at Month 6.From baseline to Month 6.

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Change in central macular thickness (CMT) of each group from baseline to Month 3 and 12.From baseline to Month 3 and 12.
Change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of each group from baseline to Month 3, 6, and 12.From baseline to Month 3, 6, and 12.
Proportion of eyes with a 10-letter/15-letter BCVA improvement from baseline to month 3, 6, 12.From baseline to month 3, 6, 12.
Change in OCT biomarkers (SRD, HRD, HE, large IRC) from baseline to Month 6 and 12.From baseline to Month 6 and 12.
Treatment burden of each group measured as the number of intravitreal injections during the study.From baseline to Month 12
Safety and tolerability of each group assessed by the incidence of ocular and systemic adverse events.From baseline to Month 12

Contacts

CONTACTKun Liu
drliukun@sjtu.edu.cn+86 18917989522

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 28, 2026