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NCT07705555RecruitingPhase 3

A Clinical Trial of MK-8748 Compared to Aflibercept in Participants With Diabetic Macular Edema (MK-8748-004)

A Randomized, Double-Masked, Multicenter, 3-Arm, Pivotal Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Intravitreal (IVT) MK-8748 Compared With Aflibercept (2 mg) in Participants With Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 3 Nov 2026

Brief summary (registry, in English)

Researchers are looking for new ways to treat diabetic macular edema (DME). In this trial, researchers want to learn if a trial medicine called MK-8748 can treat DME. An available standard (usual) treatment for DME is aflibercept. However, standard treatments such as aflibercept may not work for every person. The main goal of this trial is to learn if MK-8748 works as well as aflibercept to treat DME.

Status (registry)
Recruiting
Phase (registry)
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
960 (estimated)
First submitted
10 Jul 2026
Start date
27 Aug 2026
Primary completion date
31 Oct 2028
Lead sponsor
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
NCT number
NCT07705555
EU CT number
2026-526790-42-00

What you commit to

  • Study type: Interventional · Phase 3
  • Planned participants: 960
  • From 27 Aug 2026 to the primary completion date, 31 Oct 2028
  • 35 sites in 4 countries
  • Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them

Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.

Who cannot take part

Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.

Prior treatment

  • Has newly diagnosed or previously untreated diabetes mellitus and initiated oral or injectable anti-diabetic medication within 3 months to first dose of study intervention
  • Has any treatment for complications of cataract surgery with steroids or yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser capsulotomy in the study eye within 90 days of screening

Other illness

  • Has had renal failure requiring renal transplant, hemodialysis, or peritoneal dialysis or has renal failure anticipated to require hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis at any time during the study
  • Has history of stroke (cerebral vascular accident) or myocardial infarction within 180 days to first dose of study intervention
  • Has history of cataract surgery and/or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery in the study eye within 90 days of screening
  • Has any history of retinal detachment or treatment or surgery for retinal detachment in the study eye
  • Has active retinal disease other than the condition under investigation in the study eye

Other

  • The main exclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:
  • Has advanced or uncontrolled glaucoma in the study eye
  • Has uncontrolled blood pressure at screening

Who the study is looking for

  • The main inclusion criteria include but are not limited to the following:
  • Has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus and a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of ≤12%
  • Has a decrease in vision in the study eye determined by the Investigator to be primarily the result of diabetic macular edema (DME)
  • For participants who are treatment-naïve for DME, the diagnosis must have been made within 9 months of screening. For all treatment-experienced participants, the first treatment should have been no longer than 3 years prior to the Screening visit

Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers

Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov

Sites (35)

Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.

SiteCityCountrySite status
Fundacion Zambrano ( Site 0402)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
CABAArgentinaRecruiting
Eyeclinic Albury-Wodonga ( Site 2204)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
AlburyAustraliaRecruiting
Marsden Eye Specialists ( Site 2200)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
ParramattaAustraliaRecruiting
Strathfield Retina Clinic ( Site 2202)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
StrathfieldAustraliaRecruiting
Sydney Retina Clinic and Day Surgery ( Site 2203)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
SydneyAustraliaRecruiting
Bristol Eye Hospital ( Site 0902)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BristolUnited KingdomRecruiting
Austin Retina Associates ( Site 0008)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
AustinUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Consultants of Texas ( Site 0001)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BellaireUnited StatesRecruiting
Envision Ocular, LLC ( Site 0039)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BloomfieldUnited StatesRecruiting
Charleston Neuroscience Institute ( Site 0087)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BlufftonUnited StatesRecruiting
Midwest Eye Institute ( Site 0113)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
CarmelUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Consultants ( Site 0104)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
CharlestonUnited StatesRecruiting
Mid Atlantic Retina ( Site 0048)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
Cherry HillUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Specialists of Colorado ( Site 0068)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
DenverUnited StatesRecruiting
Palmetto Retina Center ( Site 0063)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
FlorenceUnited StatesRecruiting
Vitreo Retinal Associates ( Site 0042)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
GainesvilleUnited StatesRecruiting
Associated Retina Consultants, Ltd ( Site 0084)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
GilbertUnited StatesRecruiting
Global Research Management ( Site 0066)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
GlendaleUnited StatesRecruiting
Mid Atlantic Retina ( Site 0062)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
HagerstownUnited StatesRecruiting
Southeastern Retina Associates PC ( Site 0071)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
Johnson CityUnited StatesRecruiting
Southeastern Retina Associates PC ( Site 0018)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
KnoxvilleUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Associates LLC ( Site 0024)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
LenexaUnited StatesRecruiting
Mississippi Retina Associates, P.A. ( Site 0061)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
MadisonUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Consultants ( Site 0065)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
ManchesterUnited StatesRecruiting
Charleston Neuroscience Institute ( Site 0022)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
Mt. PleasantUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Care Specialists ( Site 0095)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
Palm Beach GardensUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Associates of Western NY, PC ( Site 0038)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
RochesterUnited StatesRecruiting
Retinal Consultants Medical Group ( Site 0013)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
SacramentoUnited StatesRecruiting
Austin Retina Associates ( Site 0080)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
San MarcosUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Consultants of Texas ( Site 0029)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
SchertzUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida ( Site 0034)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
TampaUnited StatesRecruiting
Retina Specialists ( Site 0074)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
TowsonUnited StatesRecruiting
North Carolina Retina Associates ( Site 0064)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
Wake ForestUnited StatesRecruiting
Palmetto Retina Center ( Site 0014)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
West ColumbiaUnited StatesRecruiting
Florida Retina Institute ( Site 0105)
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
WildwoodUnited StatesRecruiting

This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.