Eyevance Pharmaceuticals Acquires Tobradex ST and Natacyn

Eyevance Pharmaceuticals has announced the acquisition of Tobradex ST (tobramycin/dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension) 0.3%/0.05% and Natacyn (natamycin ophthalmic suspension) 5% from Novartis.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“The acquisition of Tobradex ST and Natacyn further demonstrates Eyevance’s commitment and mission to serve the doctors that treat patients’ anterior segment and ocular surface conditions,”  Jerry St. Peter, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Eyevance Pharmaceuticals, said in a company news release. “Today’s market conditions and broad payer coverage position both products for strong, sustained growth. Our powerful and passionate Eyevance sales force looks forward to increasing awareness, driving growth and increasing accessibility for these ‘gold standard’ offerings.”

Tobradex ST (tobramycin/dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension) 0.3%/0.05%, FDA-approved in the United States, is a fixed-dose topical antibiotic and corticosteroid combination indicated for steroid-responsive inflammatory ocular conditions for which a corticosteroid is indicated and where superficial bacterial ocular infection or a risk of bacterial ocular infection exists.

“Having focused my career on cornea and in particular advanced ocular surface disease, the need for an effective fixed-dose combination of a corticosteroid and antibiotic is critical within my patient population,” Paul Karpecki, OD, Director of Cornea at Kentucky Eye Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, said in the news release. “It is exciting to see Eyevance acquire Tobradex ST given the product’s prominent legacy treating ocular conditions. My patients suffering from diseases such as blepharitis or conjunctivitis require a combination product and will continue to benefit from Eyevance’s commercialization of Tobradex ST.”

Eyevance also acquired the global rights to Natacyn, the first and only FDA-approved ocular antifungal, which is listed on The World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of essential medicines. Eyevance is excited by the opportunity to provide a safe and efficacious therapeutic to meet the most important needs of the global health system.

Natacyn (natamycin ophthalmic suspension) 5% is indicated for the treatment of fungal blepharitis, conjunctivitis, and keratitis caused by susceptible organisms including Fusarium solani keratitis.

“Fungal eye infections are uncommon but can be very serious,” Francis Mah, MD, Cornea, External Disease and International Expert on Corneal Infections, Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California, said in the news release. “While the most common cause of a fungal eye infection is as a result of an eye injury, it is also important to note that patients who have had surgery to replace their corneal endothelium are at higher risk of fungal eye infections.  It’s nice to see Eyevance acquire Natacyn, as it is our only FDA-approved, commercially available topical ocular antifungal. Increasing awareness of fungal infections and Natacyn therapeutic benefits and it’s availability continues to be very important to the ophthalmic community.”

Since inception in September 2017, Eyevance has acquired or licensed products that treat ocular diseases or conditions that may require an antibiotic, corticosteroid, antihistamine, antibiotic/corticosteroid, tear lubricant, antifungal, or the rare disease/orphan condition of persistent epithelial defects.  The widespread ensemble of anterior segment and ocular surface medications assists in driving Eyevance’s business strategy.

The acquisition of Tobradex ST and Natacyn represents the latest milestone in Eyevance’s growth strategy, which saw the acquisition or licensing of multiple ophthalmic pharmaceutical products in 2017 and 2018. This includes FLAREX (fluorometholone acetate ophthalmic suspension) 0.1% from Novartis, ZERVIATE (cetirizine ophthalmic solution) 0.24% from Nicox Ophthalmics, FRESHKOTE Preservative-Free (PF) tear lubricant line from Focus Laboratories, 4 additional non-disclosed late stage and FDA approved products; plus, its development stage asset, NEXAGON from OcuNexus for an orphan condition.

For complete product information about Tobradex ST, including important safety information, please visit https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/050818lbl.pdf.

For complete product information about Natacyn, including important safety information, please visit https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2008/050514s009lbl.pdf.