Imprimis Pharmaceuticals is set to provide its cyclosporine-based formulations as customisable and potential low-cost alternatives to Restasis indicated for dry eye disease.
Characterised by irritated, gritty, scratchy or burning eyes and blurred vision, advanced dry eye disease can lead to vision impairment.
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Set to be available in a multi-use preservative-free bottle, the cyclosporine-based formulations are compounded using US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug components at FDA-inspected facilities.
A patient-specific prescription is required for the formulations, which could be customised depending on the individual needs of the patients.
Imprimis Pharmaceuticals CEO Mark Baum said: “While physicians who use compounded cyclosporine formulations have anecdotally known this for many years, there is now published data that demonstrates the clinical value of topical cyclosporine formulations at concentrations greater than those currently available in commercially available medications.”
Baum further added that when purchased in the existing commercially available Restasis form, topical cyclosporine could cost more than $5,000 per year, thereby limiting accessibility.
Through the lower-cost alternatives, the firm intends to provide more patients with access to a high-quality customised cyclosporine treatment option.
The firm will offer initial prescriptions at 99 cents for a one month supply, while the price of refills will start from $79 per month.
Imprimis is also planning to make publicly available a presentation on its wholly owned subsidiary Surface Pharmaceuticals, which primarily focuses on ocular surface diseases such as dry eye and blepharitis.
Surface’s portfolio includes three core drug formulations, for which the firm would seek approval from the FDA to address five ocular surface disease and ophthalmic conditions.
