From NDAs and generous donations, to the ocular risks of certain immunotherapy drugs, these are the news stories and studies that caught our attention this week…
NDA for presbyopia treatment. Global clinical-stage biotechnology company, Tenpoint Therapeutics, has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for its presbyopia treatment, BRIMOCHOL PF. If approved, the brimonidine-carbachol formulation would be the first combination therapy for presbyopia in the US. Link
World Sight Day Challenge. CooperVision raises more than $5 million for Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) World Sight Day Challenge. Since 2008, the company has encouraged its employees to engage in a variety of fundraising activities for the OGS challenge, marking it as the largest all-time donor to the organization. Link
Cancer treatment risks. A new large-scale Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology study has found a significant association between the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) – a class of immunotherapy drugs used to treat cancer – and an increased risk of uveitis. The study is one of the largest to date examining the ocular side effects of ICIs and provides robust, real-world evidence of their link to uveitis. Link
Hearing loss and ROP. A US retrospective national database study has indicated that retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) could be linked to higher risk of hearing loss in children. Published in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, the study analyzed de-identified health records of nearly 6,000 U.S. children from a national database, comparing those with ROP to a matched group without the condition. After adjusting for a wide range of risk factors, the researchers found that children with ROP were still 42 percent more likely to have hearing loss than their healthy peers. Link
Smoke in the Eyes. An IOVS study has compared the effects of cigarette smoke and heated tobacco products (HTPs) on human corneal tissue, finding that while conventional cigarette smoke causes significantly more oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue damage, HTPs have a less severe impact on the cornea. While HTPs are not without biological effects, the University of Catania-based research suggests they may pose a lower risk of ocular damage compared to traditional cigarettes. Link
