InSite Vision Chooses Senju Pharmaceuticals to Develop and Market Eye Solutions in Japan

InSite Vision announced it has signed a collaboration and licensing agreement with Japanese drugmaker Senju Pharmaceutical to develop and market InSite’s azithromycin ophthalmic solutions in Japan.

This includes AzaSite 1 percent and AzaSite Xtra 2 percent ocular antibiotics and the DuraSite drug delivery systems. According to the deal, Senju will pay InSite an upfront licensing fee, development and milestones fees and a royalty percentage of net sales.

Monetary terms were not disclosed.

The Osaka, Japan-based Senju develops, manufactures and commercializes a variety of pharmaceuticals worldwide, but specializes in ophthalmic products.

The Alameda, Calif-based InSite Vision is advancing new ophthalmologic products for unmet eye care needs based on its new DuraSite platform technologies, it said. The DuraSite drug delivery systems extend the duration of drug retention on the surface of the eye, thereby reducing the rate of treatment and improving the efficacy of topically delivered drugs, the company said.

In the US, InSite has two available products for the treatment of bacterial eye infections, it said. AzaSite (azithromycin ophthalmic solution) 1 percent is marketed by Akorn Pharmaceuticals and Besivance (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension) 0.6 percent is marketed by Valeant subsidiary Bausch & Lomb. — Kellen Owings

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