Japan approves Diquas for dry eye
Santen Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Tokyo:4536; Osaka:4536) said the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare approved Diquas diquafosol tetrasodium ophthalmic solution 3% to treat dry eye. The company plans to launch the 3% ophthalmic solution formulation of uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) natural P2Y2 ligand in Japan by year end.
Santen has rights to diquafosol for ophthalmic indications in Japan and nine other Asian countries from Inspire Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ISPH), which is co-developing a 2% formulation of diquafosol, known as Prolacria, with Allergan Inc. (NYSE:AGN). The companies received a second approvable letter from FDA for an NDA for Prolacria to treat dry eye disease in 2005. Prolacria missed the primary and secondary endpoints in a Phase III trial this year (See BioCentury Extra, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010). ...