Business in Brief

Hope for uveitic ME patients

Bausch Health has acquired an exclusive license for the commercialization and development of Clearside’s XIPERE (triamcinolone acetonide suprachoroidal injectable suspension) – an investigational treatment for macular edema (ME) associated with uveitis – in the US and Canada. NDA resubmission to the FDA is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2020.

$7.5M grant for glaucoma therapies

Q BioMed’s partner – Mannin Research – has received a $7.5M grant from the German state of Saxony to develop glaucoma therapies. The grant will address the unmet needs of more than 12 million Europeans who suffer from the disease by funding the development of novel pharmaceuticals and biologic treatments for glaucoma.

Implant-free ELT going stateside

ELT Sight has acquired the IP and assets of MLase AG’s excimer ophthalmic laser system for glaucoma surgery. Meeting currently unmet treatment needs, the ExTra ELT laser system performs implant-free, microinvasive glaucoma surgery to lower eye pressure. With the system already CE certified, the company plans to begin clinical studies in the US in early 2020.

Eylea competitor gets J-code

After being given the green light from the EMA’s main advisory committee, Beovu – Novartis’ follow-up to Lucentis for wet AMD treatment– has recently been issued a permanent J-code from CMS. The code, J0179, could enable more timely reimbursement of Beovu and improve access. 

The start of Ophthovation

AAO and ASCRS have finalized plans for their Ophthovation business conferences, which aim to advance ophthalmic innovation. In direct competition with the Ophthalmology Innovation Summit (OIS), the meetings will be held every year prior to the annual meetings of each party, with the first planned for May 14, 2020.