Novaliq and Laboratoires Théa announce European Commission approval of ciclosporin 0.1% eye drops solution

News
Article

Ciclosporin 0.1% eye drops solution will be marketed under the brand name Vevizye in the EU for the treatment of dry eye disease

A patient undergoes an ocular exam in a clinic. Image credit: ©rocketclips – stock.adobe.com

Ciclosporin 0.1% solution was approved by the US FDA in May 2023 under the brand name VEVYE. ©rocketclips – stock.adobe.com

Novaliq and Laboratoires Théa announced European Commission approval of ciclosporin 0.1% eye drops solution (Vevizye) for the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) in Europe. On top of the approval, the two companies have announced a partnership in which Laboratoires Théa will acquire the rights to commercialise the product in Europe and selected countries in the Middle East and North Africa.1

Ciclosporin 0.1% eye drops solution was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2023 under the brand name VEVYE.2 In the EU, ciclosporin 0.1% eye drops solution will be marketed under the name Vevizye for the treatment of moderate to severe DED in adult patients which has not improved despite treatment with tear substitutes.

Efficacy of Vevizye was shown in the ESSENCE-1 and ESSENCE-2 clinical trials. Both were randomised, multicentre, double-masked, vehicle-controlled studies with change from baseline in total corneal fluorescein staining (tCFS) score at Day 29 being the primary endpoint.

The ESSENCE-2 study included 834 patients with moderate to severe DED who were randomized to active treatment (n=423) or vehicle (n=411) following a 14-day run-in period during which they instilled an artificial tear twice daily. The patients instilled either cyclosporine or vehicle twice daily for 29 days and the results were compared.

The study period ran from 5 December, 2020, to 8 October, 2021, at 27 US sites. The primary endpoints were the changes in the tCFS (0-15 [best to worst] on the National Eye Institute scale) and in the dryness score (0-100 [best to worst] on the visual analogue scale) at day 29 compared with baseline. The investigators also evaluated the conjunctival staining, central corneal fluorescein staining and the tCFS responders.

Jean-Frédéric Chibret, President of the Théa Group, commented on the partnership in a joing press release from the companies, stating, "Our partnership with Novaliq highlights our dedication to delivering innovative treatments to all patients. We are looking forward to launching Vevizye to complement our range of non-preserved treatments for dry eye, a disease that has substantial impacts on the quality of life of many patients."

Christian Roesky, PhD, CEO of Novaliq, also provided a statement, saying, "We are thrilled to partner with Théa, the leading ophthalmic pharmaceutical company in Europe, to bring Vevizye to patients.”

Vevizye is approved in all 27 EU member states.

References:

1. Novaliq and Laboratoires Théa Announce Partnership and EU Approval for Vevizye® (Ciclosporin 0.1% Eye Drops Solution). Press Release; October 2, 2024. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241002958802/en/Novaliq-and-Laboratoires-Th%C3%A9a-Announce-Partnership-and-EU-Approval-for-Vevizye%C2%AE-Ciclosporin-0.1-Eye-Drops-Solution
2. Hutton, D. FDA approves Novaliq’s cyclosporine ophthalmic solution for treatment of dry eye disease. Ophthalmology Times. Published June 8, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/fda-approves-novaliq-s-cyclosporine-ophthalmic-solution-for-treatment-of-dry-eye-disease

Newsletter

Join ophthalmologists across Europe—sign up for exclusive updates and innovations in surgical techniques and clinical care.

Recent Videos
At the Retina World Congress, Siegfried Priglinger, MD, speaks about ensuring the best outcomes for preschool-aged patients
At the 2025 ASCRS meeting, Robert Ang, MD said small aperture IOLs can benefit all patients, especially those with complex corneas or who have undergone previous corneal refractive surgery
Viha Vig, MBChB graduate student at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, discusses her poster presentation on the relationship between mitochondiral disease, Alzheimer disease, and other types of dementia.
Alfredo Sadun, MD, PhD, chief of Ophthalmology at the Doheny Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, shared exciting new research with the Eye Care Network during the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting on the subject of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).
At this year's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, Nitish Mehta, MD, shared highlights from his research documenting real-world results of aflibercept 8 mg for patients with diabetic macular oedema.
ARVO 2025: Anat Loewenstein, MD, shares data from herself and her colleagues on meeting needs of patients with diabetic retinopathy
At the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons annual meeting, Sheng Lim, MD, FRCOphth discusses the benefit of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation for patients with primary open angle glaucoma and cataracts in the CONCEPT study
A photo of Seville, Spain, with the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology logo superimposed on it. Image credit: ©francovolpato – stock.adobe.com; logo courtesy COPHy
Anat Loewenstein, MD, Professor and Director, Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, discusses the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology (COPHy)
Anat Loewenstein, MD, speaks about the 22nd Annual Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration Meeting in February 2025 and shares her global forecast for AI-driven home OCT
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.