Industry News
Santen and UBE Receive FDA Approval for Glaucoma Eye Drops
Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and UBE Corporation recently announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved OMLONTI® (omidenepag isopropyl ophthalmic solution) 0.002% eye drops for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The approval date was September 22.
OMLONTI® is developed jointly by Santen and UBE. Omidenepag isopropyl, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in OMLONTI®, developed by UBE, is a relatively selective prostaglandin EP2 receptor agonist, which increases aqueous humor drainage through the conventional (or trabecular) and uveoscleral outflow pathways, and the only product with this pharmacological action.
OMLONTI® was launched in Japan as Eybelis® ophthalmic solution 0.002% in November 2018, and was filed for marketing approval in Asian countries in stages. The product was released in five countries and regions beginning in February 2021.
“Glaucoma prevalence is increasing as the global population ages. Supporting patients by protecting vision across the continuum of clinical care in glaucoma is a significant aim for Santen to reduce the social and economic opportunity loss of people around the world caused by eye conditions,” explains Peter Sallstig, Chief Medical Officer of Santen. “This approval is an important milestone in our ambition to tackle unmet needs in eye health and advances our goal of realization of “Happiness with Vision. It also represents our first glaucoma offering in the U.S. We are pleased to provide doctors and patients in the U.S. with a new option to help control IOP for the more than three million Americans affected by glaucoma1 or ocular hypertension.”
“UBE Corporation is committed to working on new drug discoveries on a daily basis with the aim of providing patients with more treatment options for diseases with high unmet needs,” said Yoichi Funayama, Senior Executive Officer and General Manager of the Pharmaceutical Division, UBE Corporation. “We are very pleased that this ophthalmic solution has been approved for glaucoma in the U.S., following approvals in Japan and Asia. We have high expectations that omidenepag isopropyl will provide a new treatment option for more patients suffering from glaucoma and ocular hypertension through Santen.”
The FDA approval for OMLONTI® was based on data from 12 clinical studies conducted in multiple global locations. Notably, a U.S. Phase 3 study confirmed OMLONTI® to be non-inferior to timolol, the standard of care. Two different Phase 3 studies conducted in Japan and Asia showed OMLONTI® to be non-inferior to latanoprost, another standard of care.
“Treatments that focus on IOP reduction help to slow or prevent further loss of vision for those with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. However, not all patients respond to the same treatments, and some may not have successful outcomes,” said Jason Bacharach, MD, Medical and Research Director at North Bay Eye Associates, Inc. “The approval of omidenepag isopropyl ophthalmic solution 0.002% provides doctors with another safe and effective option to use when treating patients with these sight-threatening conditions.”
