Prolonged use of eye drops with preservatives have been shown to negatively affect the ocular surface and other anatomic structures of the eye, which can cause discomfort for patients. With the FDA’s approval of Thea’s Iyuzeh, there is now a preservative-free eye latanoprost drop to treat primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension in the United States.
Iyuzeh (latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.005% is marketed as Monoprost outside of the United States. Unlike preserved formulations of latanoprost, Iyuzeh doesn’t contain benzalkonium chloride or other chemicals that are considered preservatives.
“Knowing that Iyuzeh has a long history in Europe under the name Monoprost helps me to have even more confidence in prescribing it,” says Jason Bacharach, MD, medical and research director at North Bay Eye Associates, Inc., in Sonoma, California, and codirector of the Glaucoma Service at the Department of Ophthalmology at California Pacific Medical Center, Pacific Vision Eye Institute, in San Francisco, California. Dr. Bacharach conducted clinical trials for Iyuzeh and prescribes it to his patients. Monoprost was launched more than 10 years ago and is available in 46 countries. Latanoprost is the most commonly used medication to treat primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.1
Concerns About Preservatives
Because glaucoma is a chronic disease, patients are usually on some type of therapy for a longer time period. “This can become an ongoing challenge because many of the medications we prescribe to patients contain ingredients that can negatively affect their ocular surface, cornea, and other eye structures,” Dr. Bacharach says. “Eye care professions have seen a rise in the prevalence of ocular surface disease among patients with glaucoma. This isn’t surprising, because there’s a clear relationship between the long-term use of medications with preservatives and ocular surface disease. Therefore, it’s important to ease the preservative load for patients whenever possible.”
Iyuzeh is composed of polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil, sorbitol, carbomer 974P, polyethylene glycol 4000, disodium edetate, sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment), and water for injection.
“Thea’s novel patent-protected formulation was made possible by Thea’s innovative scientists,” says Christopher Pearson, chief commercial officer at Thea Pharma, Inc. “They were able to solve the challenges of solubilizing and stabilizing latanoprost, eliminating the need for Iyuzeh to require preservatives and to be manufactured, distributed, and stored at refrigerated temperatures.” In comparison, some competitive brands, generic latanoprost, and other primary open-angle products must be stored at refrigerated temperatures.
Ease of Use
Dr. Bacharach considers Iyuzeh for patients diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who need to reduce and control their IOP, or patients who are using another medication that isn’t meeting their treatment goals. Iyuzeh is convenient and easy for patients to use because it’s supplied in single-dose containers packaged in foil pouches and doesn’t need to be refrigerated like some glaucoma medications, Dr. Bacharach says. Vials are even easy for patients with arthritis to use.
Dr. Bacharach reports that his patients have clear eyes with no significant hyperemia or change in staining, and none of his patients have complained of stinging or irritation when using it, although studies show that some patients may experience these side effects.2
The recommended dosage is to insert 1 drop into the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening. “I typically tell patients to use it as part of their nighttime routine,” Dr. Bacharach says.
“Iyuzeh provides eye care professionals with a preservative-free option to support long-term patient vision goals and lifelong ocular health,” Pearson concludes. GP
References
1. Gedde SJ, Vinod K, Wright MM, et al. Primary open-angle glaucoma preferred practice pattern. Ophthalmology. 2021;128(1):P71-P150. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2020.10.022
2. Data on file with Thea Pharmaceuticals.
