The products involved in the deal include FLAREX, NATACYN, TOBRADEX ST, VERKAZIA, ZERVIATE, and non-prescription brands FRESHKOTE and Cationorm PLUS
Harrow acquires US and Canadian rights for select ophthalmic products from Santen Pharmaceutical. (Credit: Marc Schulte on Unsplash)
Eyecare pharmaceutical company Harrow has inked agreements with affiliates of Santen Pharmaceutical to buy the US and Canadian commercial rights for some of the latter’s branded ophthalmic products.
Under the transaction, Harrow will acquire the US rights to FLAREX (fluorometholone acetate ophthalmic suspension) 0.1%, NATACYN (natamycin ophthalmic suspension) 5%, TOBRADEX ST (tobramycin and dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension) 0.3%/0.05%, VERKAZIA (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) 0.1%, ZERVIATE (cetirizine ophthalmic solution) 0.24%, and non-prescription brand FRESHKOTE.
The Canadian products involved in the deal are VERKAZIA and Cationorm PLUS.
Harrow chairman and CEO Mark Baum said: “This acquisition furthers Harrow’s goal of becoming a leader in the top tier of US ophthalmic pharmaceutical companies, makes Harrow’s branded portfolio one of the most comprehensive in the US market, and is expected to be immediately financially accretive upon the transfer of the product marketing authorisations.”
In a separate development, the eyecare pharmaceutical company entered into an agreement with Germany-based Novaliq to acquire the commercial rights for VEVYE (cyclosporine ophthalmic solution) 0.1% in the US and Canada.
Based on Novaliq’s proprietary EyeSol water-free technology, VEVYE is a patented, non‑preserved, ophthalmic solution prescription drug.
It is said to be the first and only cyclosporine-based medication with a labelled twice-daily (BID) dosage. It is given topically in a special 10 microliter per drop.
Harrow also claimed that VEVYE is the only product cyclosporine-based product to have approval to treat both dry eye disease (DED) symptoms and indicators. It secured approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May this year.
Novaliq CEO Christian Roesky said: “We are excited to partner with Harrow, one of the fastest growing and most dynamic ophthalmic pharmaceutical companies in the US, to commercialise VEVYE in the US and Canadian markets.
“Harrow and its commercial team have a distinguished track record for successfully commercializing new and clinically important pharmaceutical products in the US market, and they specifically have many years of experience successfully marketing cyclosporine-based formulations to US eyecare professionals.”
In December last year, Harrow signed a deal to acquire rights to five ophthalmic products from the Swiss drugmaker Novartis for up to $175m.