Industry News
NovaTears for Evaporative Dry Eyes Launches in New Zealand and Receives Approval in Australia
Novaliq GmbH, a specialty pharmaceutical company with a disruptive drug delivery platform that transforms poorly soluble drugs into effective therapeutics for ophthalmology, announced the launch of NovaTears® in New Zealand and registrational approval in Australia.
According to McCarty, the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) is approximately 7.4 percent in Australia and New Zealand; counting for more than 2 million people suffering from dry eye disease in this region.
In March 2017, Novaliq and AFT Pharmaceuticals (AFT) signed an exclusive licensing partnership agreement for the commercialization of NovaTears® across Australasia. AFT Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AFT), a New Zealand-based pharmaceutical company listed on ASX and NZX, will commercialize NovaTears®, the first and only water-free topical eye drop treatment specifically developed to treat patients with DED. According to the latest TFOS DEWS II definition and classification report, patients with tear-lipid dysfunction account for the greater proportion of all DED patients and no adequate treatment option was available in New Zealand until now.
NovaTears® immediately stabilizes the lipid layer without causing vision blurring. Clinically validated in four clinical trials, NovaTears® eye drops are proven to be safe and effective. Results from these trials showed that NovaTears® is safe and efficacious for treating the signs and symptoms of DED and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). A large number of objective disease parameters such as tear film breakup time, corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining but also a number of expressible Meibomian glands and Meibom quality have been improved under NovaTears® treatment.
“NovaTears® is a first-in-class treatment for this common and highly underserved ophthalmic disease,” said Christian Roesky, PhD, managing director and CEO, Novaliq GmbH. “NovaTears® is a clinically validated treatment that significantly improves signs and symptoms of patients suffering from dry eye disease. We know from our clinical studies that NovaTears® immediately stabilizes the lipid layer and restores the natural tear film of the eye over time. I am confident that dry eye patients in Australasia will greatly benefit from this breakthrough innovation.”
According to the company, for patients, NovaTears® eye drops combine high efficacy with great comfort. Signs and subjective symptoms of DED are significantly reduced without causing blurry vision after application. NovaTears® is pure, and therefore has no side effects related to preservatives or other additives. For healthcare professionals, NovaTears® expands the established treatment portfolio with a new option of a water-free formulation and a new mode of action to treat more patients effectively. NovaTears® increases patients’ compliance due to proven clinical effectiveness and tolerability.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer patients a novel ophthalmic treatment that addresses signs and symptoms of evaporative DED and MGD,” said Hartley Atkinson, PhD, CEO, AFT. “NovaTears® is a first-in-class, water-free and preservative-free treatment that strengthens the lipid layer of the tear film thereby preventing evaporation. It is a welcome addition to our eye care line, one that will provide superior benefits to patients.”
