Stars in Our Eyes – Ophthalmology Drugs Report

The ophthalmology drug segment continues to shine brightly with a number of deals announced in November such as Genentech’s partnering with Novartis to split ex-US rights to Ophthotech’s eye drug, which could be worth more than $1 billion. Allergan, another of the major players in the market, recently acquired rights to Mimetogen’s tavilermide for $50 million upfront and more payments down the line.

Biopharma’s interest in the segment is buoyed by the strong growth in ophthalmology drug sales which are benefiting directly from substantial increases in the number of people suffering from age related ophthalmologic conditions in Western markets and Japan. The developing world is adding to this momentum as increasing affluence drives increased expenditures in all areas of healthcare including vision impairment and eye diseases. The headwinds created by positive demographics for the sector are being exploited by the emergence of new technologies for treating ophthalmic diseases.