- Apellis Pharmaceuticals has announced findings from its retrospective database study on geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Based on data from AAO’s IRIS Registry, the study highlights the significant impact of GA progression on vision and underscores the unmet need for treatment in clinical practice.
- Biopharma company Oxurion has strengthened its intellectual property portfolio governing THR-687 – an integrin antagonist for the treatment of DME – by gaining two new patents. (The European Patent Office and the US Patent and Trademark Office’s new composition-of-matter patents will expire in 2039.)
- The EMA has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of the marketing authorization of Aerie Pharmaceuticals’ Roclanda (netarsudil and latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005%. Roclanda is indicated for primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension patients who have not achieved sufficient IOP reduction with prostaglandin or netarsudil monotherapy.
- Samsung Bioepis has announced positive one-year results from its Phase 3 study on SB11, a proposed biosimilar to Lucentis (ranibizumab), in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The data were presented at AAO 2020 and have since been accepted for Biologics License Application review by the FDA.
- Bausch + Lomb has published investigational in-vitro data showing that two benzalkonium chloride preserved eye drops – Lumify (brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.025%) and Besivance (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension) 0.6% – completely inactivated SARS-CoV-2. The results were presented at the 2020 Ocular Microbiology and Immunology Group 54th Annual Meeting.
I’ve always loved telling stories. So much so, I decided to make a job of it. I finished a Masters in Magazine Journalism and spent three years working as a creative copywriter before itchy feet sent me (back)packing. It took seven months and 13 countries, but I’m now happily settled on The Ophthalmologist, where I’m busy getting stuck into all things eyeballs.