Santen Pharmaceutical Co. has announced that Santen China has entered into a distribution and promotion agreement with AbbVie for five marketed glaucoma eyedrops in the Chinese Mainland.
Under the agreement, Santen China will receive exclusive distribution rights and conduct promotional activities in the Chinese Mainland for Glaucoma Eyedrops Alphagan®, AlphaganP®, Lumigan®, Ganfort® and Combigan®.
A pillar of AbbVie’s glaucoma eyedrop product portfolio, the brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution (Alphagan® and AlphaganP®) features a dual intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effect that suppresses aqueous humor production and promotes aqueous humor outflow via the uveoscleral pathway; it is recommended as one of the first-line treatments under Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society guidelines.
These products will synergise with existing Santen prostaglandin-related products while creating a complementary, multi‑MoA (Mechanism of Action) glaucoma portfolio and strengthening the Company’s business foundation in the China market.
Glaucoma is a disease in which the optic nerve is damaged by increased IOP, causing progressive visual field loss; if not treated appropriately, it can lead to blindness.As of 2020, the number of patients with primary glaucoma worldwide exceeded 76 million, and this number is expected to exceed 100 million by 2040. The number of glaucoma patients in China numbered more than 21.8 million, leading to 5.67 million cases of blindness as of 2020.
By fully leveraging its proven strong commercial presence in China’s glaucoma market, Santen will capitalise on this agreement with AbbVie to unleash the growth potential of the glaucoma products.
