Santhera signs supply deal with Ewopharma

A drug to combat blindness brought on by optic neuropathy is to be distributed across Eastern Europe after its manufacturer, Santhera (SWX: SANN), signed a supply deal with fellow Swiss company Ewopharma.

Raxone (idebenone) is used in the treatment of the rare Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) which leads to rapid and usually permanent loss of vision in otherwise healthy patients. It is the first treatment option for LHON and the first approved therapy for a mitochondrial disease.

The deal will see the drug made available in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.