Santen plans entry in US glaucoma market
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Santen plans to break into the U.S. glaucoma market in 2020 with the introduction of the DE-128 microshunt, according to a speaker at the 38th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.
“Glaucoma is one of the leading causes for blindness in many developed countries, including the United States, and we can only slow down its progression by decreasing intraocular pressure using eye drops basically until the end of life,” Shigeo Taniuchi, president and chief operating officer of Santen, said. “There is clearly an unmet medical need to deal with severe glaucoma and to save from blindness.”
The DE-128 microshunt, also known as PreserFlo, is a minimally invasive device that has been shown to be effective in the reduction of IOP and an alternative to the more invasive trabeculotomy, according to Taniuchi.
Santen has partnered with Glaukos to bring the product to the United States.
“Once we develop a foothold in the United States with PreserFlo microshunt, we are priming to launch other products currently in the pipeline to establish a strong commercial presence in the United States and also sustain our growth momentum in the biggest market in the world,” Taniuchi said.
During his presentation, Taniuchi also discussed Santen’s growth strategy in Europe and Asia, describing a new manufacturing facility planned in Suzhou, China, and its plans to tackle myopia and inherited retinal diseases with gene therapies.
“Going forward, Santen continues its focus on ophthalmology while transforming from a traditional eye drop manufacturer to an innovative ophthalmology company,” Taniuchi said. – by Rebecca L. Forand
Reference:
Taniuchi S. Focus on the eye: Toward the next growth phase. Presented at the 38th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference; Jan. 13-16, 2020; San Francisco.
Disclosure: Taniuchi reports he is president and chief operating officer at Santen.
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