SAARBRÜCKEN, Germany & HEIDELBERG, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--URSAPHARM, one of the leading European companies in the field of ophthalmology, and Novaliq, a clinical stage specialty pharma company with a disruptive drug delivery technology platform focusing on ophthalmology, today jointly announce its partnership agreement as well as the initial European launch of EvoTears™.
As part of the agreement, URSAPHARM obtains the exclusive license for the commercialization of EvoTears, Novaliq’s first commercially available ophthalmic product for the treatment of evaporative dry eye diseases. The cooperation with Novaliq is part of URSAPHARM’s long-term commitment to delivering tomorrow’s ophthalmic therapies by accessing innovative products and platforms with high therapeutic value for patients. The company’s ophthalmic portfolio includes HYLO® EYE CARE, the market leading brand in the category of dry eye treatment in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Furthermore, URSAPHARM offers a broad variety of ophthalmic products in the segments of antibiotics, anti-glaucomatosa and anti-inflammatory treatments.
“At URSAPHARM we are dedicated to improving the treatment of eye diseases with a high medical need. In our collaboration with Novaliq, we have the chance to access the first-in-class water-free sicca treatment based on Novaliq’s proprietary technology platform, delivering superior benefits for the treatment of evaporative dry eye diseases. EvoTears supports the lipid layer of the tear film with the ability to quickly spread and be absorbed; is free of preservatives; and, features a small droplet size, which fits perfectly into the cul de sac of the eye. With the launch of this first product based on Novaliq’s innovative technology platform, we hope to further expand our market share in the premium segment offering the highest value to our patients. We are confident that ophthalmologists and patients alike will adopt EvoTears as a truly innovative solution among existing eye-drop products,” says Dominik Holzer, Managing Director, URSAPHARM.
Bernhard Günther, co-founder, Managing Director and CEO of Novaliq GmbH, says, “This collaboration with URSAPHARM is very important for Novaliq as it validates our technology and will result in a successful market launch in Europe. The out-licensing of EvoTears in Europe represents the logical next step for us to broaden the visibility of our platform and facilitates our development pipeline of pharmaceutical products with focus on severe eye diseases. The relevance of our platform for use in Ophthalmology is being underscored, as the unique properties of EvoTears are directly derived from our proprietary EyeSol® Technology platform.”
"The ability to offer a new treatment option for the increasing incidence and prevalence of Dry Eye is essential to addressing the significant unmet need for effective dry eye therapies. I expect Novaliq's unique EyeSol delivery technology and new OTC partnership with URSAPHARMA will be strongly welcomed within the European ophthalmic community and by patients, and look forward to seeing an increasing portfolio of new products in the future," says Edward J. Holland, M.D., Director of Cornea Services at Cincinnati Eye Institute and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
About EvoTears
EvoTears (CE), the first product based on Novaliq’s proprietary EyeSol Technology, is an innovative multi-dose, non-aqueous and preservative-free topical eye drop formulation for the lubrication of the ocular surface.
The EvoTears droplet forms a thin and smooth protecting film supporting the lipid layer in its function to prevent tear evaporation for the relief of dry eye and irritated eyes symptoms. EvoTears has been classified as a class II medical device and received CE mark approval in Europe in July 2013. An open, prospective, uncontrolled post-market clinical study NT-001 successfully demonstrated effectiveness and safety in relief of dry eye symptoms. All results of the study point towards excellent clinical performance, safety and very high convenience and acceptance of EvoTears for patients suffering from hyper-evaporative dry eye.
About URSAPHARM
For more than 40 years now, the name URSAPHARM has stood for the consistent transfer of innovative pharmaceutical concepts into successful medicinal products and medical devices. Today, URSAPHARM is a company with an international operation. Due to its broad spectrum of products, URSAPHARM ranks among the market leaders in ophthalmology in Germany. More on www.ursapharm.com
About Novaliq
Novaliq GmbH, founded in 2007, is a Heidelberg-based specialty pharmaceutical and drug delivery company with the mission to transform poorly soluble drugs into effective ocular therapeutics for both the front and back of the eye. Novaliq’s proprietary technology enhances the topical bioavailability, stability and safety of traditionally insoluble or unstable drugs improving the delivery, efficacy and convenience of treatments for ocular surface diseases, including dry eye disease through preservative-free and multi-dose formulations. Novaliq’s most advanced product is EvoTears with CE-marking based on Novaliq’s proprietary EyeSol Technology. More on www.novaliq.com.
