Glaukos Announces Global Licensing Agreement With Intratus, Maker of Noninvasive Drug Delivery Platform

Glaukos announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with privately held, early-stage life sciences company Intratus. Under terms of the deal, Intratus has granted Glaukos a global exclusive license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize Intratus’ patented, noninvasive drug delivery platform designed for use in the treatment of dry eye disease, glaucoma, and other corneal disorders, such as allergy, blepharitis, conjunctivitis and related conditions.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Intratus’ patented cream-based drug formulations are applied to the outer surface of the eyelid for transdermal delivery of pharmaceutically active compounds for the treatment of eye disorders. Early human studies with this novel delivery system have demonstrated efficacy without the side effects often associated with drugs delivered as topical eye drops, according to a company news release.

“This licensing agreement adds a novel drug delivery platform using a differentiated, noninvasive transdermal approach to our expanding portfolio of sustained pharmaceutical systems,” Thomas Burns, Glaukos president and chief executive officer, said in the news release. “Intratus’ proprietary transdermal drug delivery application is highly complementary to our expanding portfolio of sustained pharmaceutical systems and represents a synergistic fit with our glaucoma and corneal health R&D initiatives. With this agreement, we plan to build upon the promising development work Intratus has completed to advance this exciting new drug delivery approach into the appropriate clinical phases.”

“Intratus’ drug delivery platforms aim to provide an efficacious, safe and durable treatment option for ophthalmic diseases through a simple, noninvasive and patient-friendly method of application,” Aaron Dyer, co-founder and chief executive officer, and Padma Nanduri, MD, FACS, co-founder and chief medical officer, said in the news release. “We believe Glaukos’ proven track record in pioneering new treatment paradigms makes them the perfect partner to help bring our novel treatment options, if approved, to patients and physicians in the most effective and timely manner possible.”