Santen launches treatment for vernal keratoconjunctivitis
DENVER – Santen announced the U.S. availability of Verkazia for the treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis in children and adults during the ARVO meeting.
The cyclosporine ophthalmic suspension 0.1%, a topical immunomodulator, is formulated in a way that it stays longer on the ocular surface, Santen’s senior vice president and global head of ophthalmic innovation center, Reza Haque, MD, PhD, told Healio.
Previously, the only treatment for vernal keratoconjunctivitis was a topical steroid, which cannot be taken long-term due to associated risks, Haque said. Verkazia has a “steroid sparing effect.”
The company’s clinical trials have shown that 68% of patients using Verkazia do not need a steroid at 4 months, he continued. Fifty-three percent experienced a decrease in inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva.
Santen has 4 months of clinical trials and 1 year of safety data, Haque said. Dosing is four times a day, and “whenever patients need it, they use it. They can continue on Verkazia for many months. It can be used in children at any age.”