(Reuters) -Eye-care drugmaker Alcon said on Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its treatment for dry eye disease (DED).
Spun off from Novartis in 2019, Alcon is betting on new product launches to accelerate sales growth in the second half of 2025 and beyond.
The approval was based on late-stage studies in which the liquid medication, Tryptyr, demonstrated natural tear production as early as day one.
The company said Tryptyr stimulates corneal sensory nerves to quickly increase natural tear production.
DED is a condition in which the eyes either do not produce enough tears or produce poor-quality tears, leading to discomfort and potentially affecting vision.
The company said about 38 million individuals in the United States suffer from DED, yet fewer than 10% of diagnosed patients are being treated with a prescription product.
Alcon, which produces contact lenses, dry eye drops, gels and other related products, expects to launch Tryptyr in the United States during the third quarter of 2025, with plans to introduce the treatment in other markets later.
Other FDA-approved treatments for DED include Alcon’s Eysuvis and Bausch + Lomb’s Xiidra.
Last month, however, the FDA declined to approve Aldeyra Therapeutics’ treatment for DED.
(Reporting by Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi)
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