Alcon’s Simbrinza approved for glaucoma in the EU

Eyecare specialist Alcon, a division of Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX), says its Simbrinza eye drops suspension (brinzolamide and brimonidine tartrate) has been approved by the European Commission to decrease elevated intraocular pressure in adult patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, for which monotherapy provides insufficient intraocular pressure reduction.

The treatment is administered with one drop into the affected eyes twice daily and combines two well-established treatments for intraocular pressure. It is the only fixed-combination glaucoma treatment without a beta-blocker, which are commonly prescribed for such conditions but are contraindicated for many glaucoma patients suffering from certain respiratory or cardiac conditions.

Simbrinza meets unmet patient need