Ardeo Health, LLC, a biopharmaceutical development and licensing company, announced today that it has reached an agreement with Novagali Pharma S.A. of Evry, France to license Novagali’s novel Nova23041 dry eye therapy for sale in the United States and Canada. The product will be marketed and distributed as Retaine® MGD™ Ophthalmic Emulsion under a brand license from OCuSOFT®, Inc., of Richmond, TX, USA. OCuSOFT, Inc. will also serve as the exclusive distributor under a multiyear agreement between Ardeo and OCuSOFT. Retaine MGD will target those individuals suffering from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) and Evaporative Dry Eye.

Retaine MGD will be a preservative-free oil-in-water emulsion resulting from Novagali’s patented Novasorb® technology whose efficiency and tolerance in treating dry eyesymptoms have been proven during a number of clinical trials carried out in Europe and Southeast Asia. Successfully marketed since 2008 under the brand name Cationorm®, a brand that belongs to Novagali Pharma, the product is already recommended by ophthalmologists in numerous countries throughout Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Based on the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged Nova23041 eye drop and the negatively charged corneal epithelium of the ocular surface, Novasorb’s technological platform enables the product to be spread in an optimal, uniform and comfortable way across the entire ocular surface, improves retention time and thus reduces the number of drops required each day by MGD and dry eye sufferers due to its increased efficiency and optimal compliance and tolerance.

“Everyone at Ardeo Health is excited to see this newest technology brought to North America. Patients suffering from moderate to severe Dry Eye will now have an alternative to expensive prescription (Rx) therapies”, states Robert “Bob” Sykora, RPh, President & CEO of Ardeo Health. “With these partnerships, Ardeo has the best of both worlds—the science of Novagali coupled with the brand recognition and distribution channels of OCuSOFT”.

Cynthia Barratt, President of OCuSOFT comments, “OCuSOFT has been searching for a truly unique proprietary Dry Eye therapy which also combined a long-term partnership—and we have found that with Ardeo Health and Novagali. I believe Retaine® MGD™ will become the standard of care for those suffering with Meibomian Gland deficiencies and Evaporative Dry Eye symptoms”.

Jérôme Martinez, Chairman of Novagali Pharma, concludes: “We are very pleased to be able to announce, today, the signing of this agreement involving two major American ophthalmology players. Given their proven expertise on the North American ophthalmology market, the Ardeo and OCuSOFT teams will no doubt make Nova23041’s launch in the United States and Canada a success that will enable us to extend the distribution of our unique formulation for treating dry eye symptoms around the world. This agreement confirms the growing reputation of the products and technologies developed by Novagali Pharma in the United States.”

Via EPR Network
More Healthcare press releases