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Xiidra approved by Health Canada
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Shire plc and Shire Pharma Canada ULC announced the approval of Xiidra (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5%) for the treatment of dry eye disease in adults by Health Canada.
Xiidra is the first new prescription medication to treat dry eye disease in Canada in 7 years, according to a company news release.
The drug blocks the interaction between two types of proteins that cause inflammation, and its approval is supported by four safety and efficacy trials in which Xiidra improved dry eye symptoms as measured by eye dryness scores. In three of four studies, the therapy improved the objective signs of dry eye disease, which were measured using corneal staining, according to the release.
“Xiidra is Shire's entry into the eye care market, and represents our commitment to ophthalmics,” Howard Mayer, Shire’s chief medical officer, research and development, said in a press release.