OPKO acquires dry eye treatment

OPKO Health has acquired exclusive worldwide rights for ophthalmic uses to a topical clinical stage compound, civamide, with potential applications for the treatment of dry eye.

The compound is a proprietary TRPV-1 receptor modulator and neuronal calcium channel blocker and is currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials, as an intra-nasal formulation, to treat various types of pain. Increased tear production was observed in over 50% of the trial patients receiving civamide and no systemic side effects were recorded. Preliminary investigations suggest that civamide's effects on tear production result from its ability to modify signal transduction pathways present in the human lacrimal gland.

Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.