Ocular’s AXPAXLITM wet
AXPAXLI NDA submission to be based on
Pre-NDA meeting scheduled with
New Post Hoc
Commercial readiness accelerating ahead of a potential 2027 launch
Cash balance of
“We continue to execute with discipline, precision, and urgency to redefine the retina experience and make AXPAXLI available to patients as early as possible. Our June Investor Day marked a pivotal milestone with the announcement of a clear,
| Estimated Reduction in Treatment Burden Excluding Loading Doses | ||||
| Mean Number of Expected Injections Per Subject* | AXPAXLI | aflibercept (2 mg) | Injection Burden Reduction | |
| From Week -8 to Week 52 | 1.95 | 7.00 | 72 | % |
| Estimated Reduction in Treatment Burden Including Loading Doses | ||||
| Mean Number of Expected Injections Per Subject* | AXPAXLI | aflibercept (2 mg) | Injection Burden Reduction | |
| From Week -8 to Week 52 | 3.95 | 9.00 | 56 | % |
*Methodology outlined below in “Recent Achievements and Upcoming Milestones”
Recent Achievements and Upcoming Milestones:
- New Drug Application (NDA) submission for AXPAXLI in wet AMD planned for Q4 2026, with
FDA alignment confirmed inMay 2026 Type C meeting minutes. The NDA submission will be based onSOL-1 efficacy and safety data, an interimSOL-R safety analysis of patients who have reached Week 52 to be conducted in the fourth quarter of 2026, and confirmatory evidence. Together with the existingSOL-1 safety database, this interimSOL-R safety analysis will bring the aggregate safety dataset to more than 300 patients with at least one year of AXPAXLI safety data and in-line withFDA requirements. A pre-NDA meeting with theFDA is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026. Ocular intends to submit the NDA under the 505(b)(2) pathway, which could accelerate the review timeline by up to 60 days. - Post-hoc Analysis of
SOL-1 (Phase 3, wet AMD) demonstrates up to an estimated 72% reduction in treatment burden over 60 weeks with AXPAXLI relative to a projected on-label dosing regimen of aflibercept (2 mg) every 8 weeks. The proportion ofSOL-1 patients who would have remained rescue-free under theSOL-R rescue criteria of >5 ETDRS letter loss and =75 µm CSFT increase from baseline was 66.5% at Week 52. Applying the observed mean rescue treatment rates inSOL-1 to the estimated 33.5% of subjects requiring rescue under theSOL-R criteria corresponded to an average of 0.95 aflibercept (2 mg) rescues per subject for all subjects in the AXPAXLI arm through Week 52 after a single AXPAXLI injection at baseline. The total estimated mean injection burden with AXPAXLI represents a 72% reduction counting from the first screening visit at Week -8 excluding loading doses and a 56% reduction when loading doses are included, as compared to a projected on-label dosing regimen of aflibercept (2 mg) with no rescues. SOL-R (Phase 3, wet AMD) to be amended to maximize AXPAXLI label potential following robustSOL-1 results and confirmation fromFDA thatSOL-R efficacy data is not required for the AXPAXLI NDA submission. With superiority demonstrated at Weeks 36 and 52 against a single injection of aflibercept (2 mg) inSOL-1 , Ocular now plans to evaluate a new key secondary endpoint of superiority to aflibercept (8 mg) at Week 96 inSOL-R . Another secondary endpoint will evaluate prevention of fibrosis and atrophy relative to aflibercept (2 mg) at Week 96. To facilitate these evaluations, Ocular will extend the efficacy analysis and sponsor-masking inSOL-R until the end of study at Week 96. These outcomes, if positive, have the potential to establish AXPAXLI as a best-in-disease agent in wet AMD. Following these changes, toplineSOL-R results are now expected in the first quarter of 2028. The trial's primary endpoint, non-inferiority of AXPAXLI to aflibercept (2 mg) at Week 56, remains unchanged.- SOL-X (wet AMD) enrollment continues to accelerate, with the vast majority of trial investigators and eligible patients opting to participate in the open-label extension study. Subjects who have completed their two-year follow-up in either the
SOL-1 orSOL-R trials are eligible to enroll in the three-year open-label extension study evaluating the long-term safety and outcomes of AXPAXLI dosed every 24 weeks. Ocular believes sustained VEGF suppression with AXPAXLI may reduce the incidence of fibrosis and atrophy in wet AMD, thereby improving long-term outcomes. The first subject enrolled in SOL-X inApril 2026 . - Diabetic retinopathy program streamlined to prioritize HELIOS-3 (Phase 3, NPDR) as Ocular's potential single registrational trial. HELIOS-3 will now evaluate AXPAXLI dosed every 12 months (Q48W) versus sham with the trial size being reduced from 930 to 620 patients. The decision to amend the HELIOS-3 design was based on AXPAXLI’s observed durability of up to 12 months in
SOL-1 , HELIOS-1 data, and market research showing physician preference for once-yearly dosing. HELIOS-3 is designed to support a broad label in diabetic retinal disease, including patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). - Commercial readiness activities, including market and payer research, advancing rapidly ahead of a potential 2027 launch of AXPAXLI, if approved. Following
SOL-1 's results, market research found that approximately 80% of retina specialists surveyed would likely use a product with AXPAXLI’s profile based onSOL-1 data alone, with more than 90% expected to adopt such a product within its first year, if approved. Physicians cited disease control, predictable dosing interval, and seamless fit within existing workflows as key drivers of anticipated use. Ocular's payer team has also engaged 100% of Tier 1 Medicare Advantage and commercial payers, who have indicated that a label demonstrating superior durability could command premium pricing.
Second Quarter Ended
Total cash and cash equivalents were
This cash projection factors in the completion of the
Total net revenue was $13.5 million for the second quarter of 2026, flat as compared to the comparable quarter of 2025. Total net revenue includes both gross DEXTENZA product revenue, net of discounts, rebates, and returns, which increased
Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were
Selling and marketing expenses were
General and administrative expenses were
Net loss for the second quarter of 2026 was $(78.8) million, or a net loss of $(0.35) per share on both a basic and diluted basis, compared to a net loss of $(67.8) million, or a net loss of $(0.39) per share on a basic and diluted basis, for the comparable quarter of 2025.
Outstanding shares as of July 31, 2026, were approximately 225.0 million.
About AXPAXLI
AXPAXLI™ (also known as OTX-TKI) is an investigational, bioresorbable, intravitreal hydrogel incorporating axitinib, a small molecule, multi-target, tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-angiogenic properties, being evaluated for the treatment of wet AMD and diabetic retinal disease.
About the
The registrational Phase
The superiority trial has an eight-week loading segment prior to randomization. During the loading segment, subjects who have 20/80 vision or better and a central subfield thickness (CSFT) of =500 µm receive two doses of aflibercept (2 mg) at Week -8 and Week -4. Subjects who achieve best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/20 at Day 1 (baseline) or gain at least 10 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters at Day 1 along with a CSFT of =350 µm were then randomized to receive a single dose of AXPAXLI (0.45 mg) or a single dose of aflibercept (2 mg). At Week 52 and at Week 76, all subjects are re-dosed with their respective initial treatment of AXPAXLI (0.45 mg) or aflibercept (2 mg). Subjects will be followed for safety until the end of Week 104.
Throughout the trial, subjects are assessed monthly. Trial subjects and designated trial personnel will remain masked through the end of Week 104. The clinical trial protocol requires that, during the trial, subjects in either arm meeting the pre-specified rescue criteria, which include a BCVA loss of =15 ETDRS letters from baseline or new vision-threatening macular hemorrhage, will receive a supplemental dose of aflibercept (2 mg). The protocol provides that after the first rescue injection, rescue therapy may be provided at investigator discretion per their clinical judgement.
The primary endpoint of
In
About the SOL-R Trial
The registrational Phase 3
This non-inferiority trial reflects a patient enrichment strategy over the six months prior to randomization that includes three screening doses of any anti-VEGF therapy, excluding brolucizumab-dbll, and monitoring to exclude those subjects with early persistent fluid or significant retinal fluid fluctuations. Subjects who continue to meet eligibility, defined as a CSFT of =350 µm at Week -12 and Week –8, with =35 µm CSFT increase at Week -8 from the lowest CSFT at any prior visit, entered a run-in period and received two loading doses of aflibercept (2 mg) prior to Day 1. Subjects in the first arm receive a single dose of AXPAXLI (0.45 mg) at Day 1 and are re-dosed at Weeks 24, 48, and 72. Subjects in the second arm receive aflibercept (2 mg) on Day 1 and per label every eight weeks thereafter. Subjects in the third arm receive a single dose of aflibercept (8 mg) at Day 1 and are re-dosed at Weeks 24, 48, and 72, aligned with the AXPAXLI treatment arm for adequate masking. Subjects will be followed for safety until the end of Week 96. Throughout the trial, subjects are assessed monthly. Trial subjects and designated trial personnel will remain masked through the end of Week 96. Subjects in any arm that meet pre-specified rescue criteria will receive a supplemental dose of aflibercept (2 mg). The pre-specified rescue criteria include a >5-letter loss in visual acuity plus a =75 µm increase in CSFT.
The primary endpoint of
About the SOL-X Trial
The SOL-X trial (NCT07516132) is a multi-center, 36-month open-label extension trial designed to evaluate the long-term safety, efficacy, and disease modifying potential of AXPAXLI in wet AMD for subjects who have successfully completed their two-year safety follow-up visits in either the
According to the trial design, all subjects will be given AXPAXLI every 24 weeks, starting at Day 1 (after completion of the Week 104 visit in
The primary objectives of SOL-X are to evaluate the long-term safety of AXPAXLI; to explore long-term visual outcomes, including visual acuity and the incidence and/or progression of fibrosis and macular atrophy; and to evaluate the impact of delayed initiation of AXPAXLI in patients who initially were randomized to receive aflibercept in either
About the HELIOS-3 Trial
The registrational Phase 3 HELIOS-3 trial (NCT07235085) is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AXPAXLI in a multi-center, double-masked, randomized (1:1) two-arm superiority trial. The trial is designed to enroll approximately 620 subjects with moderately severe to severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) without center-involved diabetic macular edema (CI-DME). The first patient was randomized in the HELIOS-3 trial in
Subjects in the first arm receive a single dose of AXPAXLI at Day 1 and are re-dosed at Week 48. Subjects in the second arm receive a sham injection at Day 1 and Week 48 aligned with the AXPAXLI treatment arm for adequate masking. Throughout the trial, subjects are assessed every 4 weeks from Day 1 through Week 56 and every other month thereafter through Week 96.
The primary endpoint of HELIOS-3 is the ordinal diabetic retinopathy severity score (DRSS) 2-step change status at Week 56 from baseline (=2-step improvement, =2-step worsening, less than 2-step change in either direction).
About Wet AMD
Wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) is a leading cause of severe, irreversible vision loss affecting approximately 14.8 million individuals globally and 1.8 million in
About Diabetic Retinal Disease
Diabetic retinal disease is an increasingly prevalent global health concern, driven by the rapidly rising number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes each year.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common category of retinal diseases, affecting over an estimated 103 million people worldwide. DR is a progressive condition in which retinal blood vessels are damaged following a cascade of events triggered by chronically elevated levels of blood glucose. As many as half of all diabetic patients are expected to develop some form of DR in their lifetime. DR can progress from the non-proliferative (NPDR) stages to the proliferative (PDR) stage characterized by the growth of abnormal new blood vessels. Fewer than 1% of the 6.4 million NPDR patients in the
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is also a leading cause of vision loss in the working-age population. DME, the result of an accumulation of fluid in the macula that can afflict patients with diabetes, can occur at any stage of DR. In patients with DME, blood vessels in the eyes leak and start to swell, which can cause vision loss or blindness. Anti-VEGF drugs are approved to treat DME, but these treatments typically require frequent intravitreal injections, placing a significant burden on patients and physicians alike.
About Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. is an integrated biopharmaceutical company committed to redefining the retina experience. AXPAXLI™ (also known as OTX-TKI), Ocular’s investigational product candidate for retinal disease, is an axitinib intravitreal hydrogel based on its ELUTYX™ proprietary bioresorbable hydrogel-based formulation technology. AXPAXLI is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and diabetic retinal disease, including non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).
Ocular’s pipeline also leverages the ELUTYX technology in its commercial product DEXTENZA®, an FDA-approved corticosteroid for the treatment of ocular inflammation and pain following ophthalmic surgery in adults and pediatric patients and ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis in adults and pediatric patients aged two years or older, and in its investigational product candidate OTX-TIC, which is a travoprost intracameral hydrogel that has completed a Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Ocular is currently evaluating next steps for the OTX-TIC program.
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DEXTENZA® is a registered trademark of Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. The Ocular Therapeutix logo, AXPAXLI™, ELUTYX™, and Ocular Therapeutix™ are trademarks of Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements of the Company regarding its future expectations, plans, and prospects; statements regarding the development and regulatory status of the Company’s product candidate AXPAXLI (also known as OTX-TKI), including the Company’s intention to submit a new drug application for AXPAXLI for the treatment of wet AMD based on Week 52 efficacy and safety data from the Company’s SOL-1 Phase 3 clinical trial, Week 52 data from an interim safety analysis to be conducted in the Company’s SOL-R clinical trial, and confirmatory evidence, and planned amendments to the clinical trial protocols of the Company’s SOL-R and HELIOS-3 clinical trials; statements regarding the timing, design, enrollment, randomization, conduct and retention of subjects in the Company’s ongoing and planned clinical trials for AXPAXLI, including the SOL-1, SOL-R and SOL-X clinical trials for the treatment of wet AMD and the HELIOS-3 trial for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy; statements regarding the commercial potential of AXPAXLI, including market research findings and potential pricing; statements regarding the timing of the availability of data from the SOL-R trial; statements regarding the potential commercialization of AXPAXLI, including statements regarding the potential pricing and label of AXPAXLI and the timing of a potential commercial launch of AXPAXLI, if approved; statements regarding the Company’s plans to leverage the Section 505(b)(2) pathway and its potential to accelerate the review timeline of the Company’s planned NDA submission; statements regarding the Company’s cash runway and the sufficiency of the Company’s cash resources; statements regarding the potential utility or adoption, if approved, of any of the Company’s product candidates, including AXPAXLI; and other statements containing the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “designed”, “goal”, “may”, “might”, “plan”, “position”, “predict”, “project”, “target”, “potential”, “will”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “continue”, and similar expressions, all of which constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s development programs, future results, performance, or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, uncertainties regarding the initiation, design, timing, conduct and outcomes of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials, including the Company’s SOL-1 trial, SOL-R trial, HELIOS-3 trial, and SOL-X trial; the timing and costs involved in commercializing any product or product candidate that receives regulatory approval; the risk that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, will not agree with the Company’s interpretation of the written agreements under the Special Protocol Assessments for AXPAXLI, including for the SOL-1 trial, or of the minutes of the Company’s Type C meeting with the FDA; uncertainty as to whether the FDA will accept a new drug application for AXPAXLI on the basis of a single pivotal clinical trial, notwithstanding discussions the Company has had with the FDA regarding its planned NDA submission; uncertainty as to the minimum clinical data required to demonstrate the safety of a proposed product candidate such as AXPAXLI, even if the FDA recognizes that only one pivotal clinical trial may be required to demonstrate efficacy and accepts the Company’s NDA submission; the risk that even though the FDA has agreed with the overall design of the SOL-1 trial, the FDA may not find that the data generated by the trial and submitted by the Company are sufficient to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of AXPAXLI to the degree necessary to support marketing approval for wet AMD; the risk that the FDA might not agree to the Company’s design, protocol, and statistical analysis plan of any of its clinical trials for which the Company has not obtained a Special Protocol Assessment, including the SOL-R trial; the risk that the Company and the FDA may not agree on, or maintain agreement with respect to, the registrational pathway for any of its product candidates, including AXPAXLI; uncertainty as to whether the Company will be able to timely satisfy the FDA’s other requirements for regulatory approval of AXPAXLI, including the FDA’s Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control’s requirements, even if the Company can satisfy the FDA’s clinical requirements to demonstrate safety and efficacy; uncertainty as to whether the Company’s NDA will qualify for, or whether the FDA will agree to review the NDA, if accepted for filing, under the 505(b)(2) pathway, notwithstanding discussions the Company has had with the FDA regarding its planned regulatory pathway, and whether the 505(b)(2) pathway will provide any time-savings as compared to the traditional 505(b)(1) pathway; uncertainty as to what restrictions, if any, may be imposed on the label for AXPAXLI, if approved, pending the receipt of additional clinical data or otherwise; uncertainty as to whether the data from earlier clinical trials will be predictive of the data of later clinical trials, particularly later clinical trials that have a different design or utilize a different formulation than the earlier trials, whether preliminary or interim data from a clinical trial or post-hoc analyses of clinical data will be predictive of final data from such trial, or whether data from a clinical trial assessing a product candidate for one indication will be predictive of results in other indications; uncertainty as to the Company’s ability to retain regulatory approval of any product or product candidate that receives regulatory approval; uncertainty as to whether data from the Company’s SOL-X trial will demonstrate additional clinically meaningful, long-term benefits; uncertainties regarding the potential commercial advantages and/or position of the Company’s product candidates; uncertainty regarding the implementation and impact of most-favored-nation and other reference pricing regimes on the commercial potential of AXPAXLI, especially in markets outside the United States; availability of data from clinical trials and expectations for regulatory submissions and approvals; the Company’s scientific approach and general development progress; uncertainties inherent in estimating the Company’s cash runway, future expenses and other financial results, including its ability to fund future operations, including clinical trials; the Company’s existing indebtedness and the ability of the Company’s creditors to accelerate the maturity of such indebtedness upon the occurrence of certain events of default; and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section contained in the Company’s quarterly and annual reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause the Company’s views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
Investors & Media
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Bill Slattery
Vice President, Investor Relations
bslattery@ocutx.com
Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) | |||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | ||||||||
| Assets | |||||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 598,641 | $ | 737,060 | |||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 30,261 | 30,650 | |||||||
| Inventory | 3,826 | 3,564 | |||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 11,699 | 10,855 | |||||||
| Total current assets | 644,427 | 782,129 | |||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 19,456 | 19,676 | |||||||
| Restricted cash | 1,614 | 1,614 | |||||||
| Operating lease assets | 5,820 | 4,638 | |||||||
| Total assets | $ | 671,317 | $ | 808,057 | |||||
| Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | |||||||||
| Current liabilities: | |||||||||
| Accounts payable | $ | 6,996 | $ | 4,154 | |||||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | 39,056 | 43,835 | |||||||
| Operating lease liabilities | 3,122 | 2,817 | |||||||
| Total current liabilities | 49,174 | 50,806 | |||||||
| Other liabilities: | |||||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion | 3,466 | 2,815 | |||||||
| Derivative liability | 10,910 | 13,903 | |||||||
| Deferred revenue | 14,000 | 14,000 | |||||||
| Notes payable, net | 72,795 | 71,336 | |||||||
| Other non-current liabilities | 931 | 887 | |||||||
| Total liabilities | 151,276 | 153,747 | |||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | |||||||||
| Stockholders’ equity: | |||||||||
| Preferred stock, | — | — | |||||||
| Common stock, | 22 | 22 | |||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 1,844,417 | 1,811,311 | |||||||
| Accumulated deficit | (1,324,398 | ) | (1,157,023 | ) | |||||
| Total stockholders’ equity | 520,041 | 654,310 | |||||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 671,317 | $ | 808,057 | |||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (in thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
| Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | |||||||||||||
| Revenue: | ||||||||||||||||
| Product revenue, net | $ | 13,475 | $ | 13,395 | $ | 24,260 | $ | 24,028 | ||||||||
| Collaboration revenue | — | 64 | — | 128 | ||||||||||||
| Total revenue, net | 13,475 | 13,459 | 24,260 | 24,156 | ||||||||||||
| Costs and operating expenses: | ||||||||||||||||
| Cost of product revenue | 2,011 | 1,944 | 3,340 | 3,206 | ||||||||||||
| Research and development | 54,138 | 51,081 | 120,351 | 93,938 | ||||||||||||
| Selling and marketing | 17,276 | 13,729 | 33,853 | 27,877 | ||||||||||||
| General and administrative | 22,159 | 14,346 | 42,166 | 30,694 | ||||||||||||
| Total costs and operating expenses | 95,584 | 81,100 | 199,710 | 155,715 | ||||||||||||
| Loss from operations | (82,109 | ) | (67,641 | ) | (175,450 | ) | (131,559 | ) | ||||||||
| Other income (expense): | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | 5,449 | 3,455 | 11,500 | 7,282 | ||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (2,792 | ) | (3,016 | ) | (5,569 | ) | (6,000 | ) | ||||||||
| Change in fair value of derivative liabilities | 689 | (641 | ) | 2,144 | (1,619 | ) | ||||||||||
| Gain on sale of property and equipment | — | 29 | — | 29 | ||||||||||||
| Total other income (expense), net | 3,346 | (173 | ) | 8,075 | (308 | ) | ||||||||||
| Net loss | $ | (78,763 | ) | $ | (67,814 | ) | $ | (167,375 | ) | $ | (131,867 | ) | ||||
| Net loss per share, basic | $ | (0.35 | ) | $ | (0.39 | ) | $ | (0.75 | ) | $ | (0.77 | ) | ||||
| Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic | 224,952,428 | 172,594,662 | 224,528,253 | 171,004,629 | ||||||||||||
| Net loss per share, diluted | $ | (0.35 | ) | $ | (0.39 | ) | $ | (0.75 | ) | $ | (0.77 | ) | ||||
| Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted | 224,952,428 | 172,594,662 | 224,528,253 | 171,004,629 | ||||||||||||
Source: 