Viatris Creates Eye Care Division With Recent Acquisition

Global health care company Viatris recently announced the closing of its acquisitions of Oyster Point Pharma and Famy Life Sciences to establish a new Viatris Eye Care Division. The acquisitions will combine Oyster Point Pharma’s eye care expertise and the strong foundation it has established with Famy Life Science’s phase 3-ready pipeline to become a global eye care leader, according to former Oyster Point Pharma CEO Jeffrey Nau, PhD, MMS, who will lead the new division.

In older, but related news, it was announced that Viatris would commercialize the preservative-free ophthalmic solution Nyxol (Ocuphire Pharma), containing 0.75% phentolamine (or 1% phentolamine mesylate), following regulatory approval in the United States, Europe, Japan, India, China, and other global markets.

My Two Cents

Viatris is a name we’ll probably become quite familiar with in the dry eye space. Although I find the big pharma world to be confusing, with its constant moving and shaking, I can definitely appreciate any company that is building its foundation on the anterior segment. I had never heard of Famy Life Sciences, either, but evidently, it has six assets in late-stage clinical development for the eye care space in areas such as dry eye, blepharitis, and presbyopia. I’ll be keeping tabs on Viatris, and I’m hoping it helps to continue the drive towards anterior segment treatments. The company would be wise to embrace the optometric community, as collectively, we can make and break medicinal launches!

PROFILES FROM THE PROFESSION

The Traveling OD

Meet Ashley O'Dwyer, OD, chief optometrist at an Indian Health Service optometry clinic in Brimley, Michigan. Dr. O'Dwyer also co-owns and remotely manages The Eye Guys, a family-run practice she bought from the owner, who was nearing retirement. She and her partner, Oliver Godnig, an optician and one of the former owner's sons, employ five optometrists who travel to rural communities in Alaska to perform eye exams, along with an optician, who does the pretesting and ordering of eyeglasses.

“It’s an awesome way to practice,” says Dr. O’Dwyer. “There is only one road system in Alaska. We fly into a lot of places, so we pack down all of our equipment and bring in frames. We even bring a phoropter setup. Our intention is to give the best possible care to these communities. Any glasses or contact lenses purchased are shipped directly to the patient. If needed, adjustments are performed at the next visit to the community. The people are very thankful for our service.”

Dr. O’Dwyer is also a certified revelation breathwork facilitator and teaches classes at her local yoga studio, and occasionally online via Zoom. She explains that breathwork is a nervous system regulator. “It is just another way I love to serve others. I cannot recommend it enough.”

CAN YOU RELATE

Many of you may not realize this, but as an alumni of the University of Michigan, I am a fervent Wolverine fan—especially Michigan football.

This past week, the team’s former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, agreed to come back to the team after turning down overtures from the National Football League (NFL) to coach one of its teams. In the past two off seasons, Coach Harbaugh has either interviewed with an NFL team or simply has not shut down the “Harbaugh to NFL” rumors. I can attest that even to the most die-hard fan, this uncertainty about the status of the Wolverine’s coach can wear you down to the point where you wish the man would just decide to stay or go, and spare us all the drama. Pick a side, Coach!

I have encountered quite a few fellow physicians and team members in my 10 years of practice who talked a good game about leaving the practice in search of greener pastures. Listening to someone drone on and on about the same thing tends to numb you and make you wish they would just leave to free you of their endless chatter. I challenge you to never be that person. Greener pastures don’t always exist. Remember that no job or profession is perfect; each has its downsides. Sometimes it helps to think about just how much of an effect we have on our patients’ lives each and every day. The child seeing the school board clearly for the first time, the patient achieving better night vision and avoiding a car crash, or a patient attaining clear and more comfortable vision because you diagnosed and began treating her disease. I think what Coach Harbaugh recently tweeted rings true for much of life: “Don’t try to out-happy, happy.”

OUTSIDE THE LANE

What’s in Store for 2023, as Predicted by Experts in 1923

Paul Fairie, a researcher and instructor at the University of Calgary, recently compiled newspaper clippings of various experts' 2023 forecasts in a now-viral Twitter thread.

Here are some of my favorites of those century-old predictions:

“The work day will be four hours long.”
Dr. D: That’s definitely not the case! Many of us haven’t even hit lunch by the 4-hour mark!

“There will be fewer doctors as the eradication of cancer, tuberculosis, infantile paralysis (also known as polio), locomotor ataxia and leprosy would have all been achieved.”
Dr. D: Nope! We’ve taken care of a few of them, but lots of work left to do. Fewer doctors? Definitely not—especially in optometry, where another school seemingly sprouts up every year!

“Watch-size radio telephones will keep everybody in communication with the ends of the earth."
Dr. D: Nailed it!