Eyenovia Inc. announced that its partner, Formosa Pharmaceuticals, secured a Taiwan Export License for clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension (0.05%) for shipment to the US.

Clobetasol is a steroid designed to reduce post-surgical inflammation and pain—two of the most important factors ophthalmic surgeons consider when choosing postoperative treatments. The steroid could soon be a post-surgical treatment option following the approximately seven million surgeries performed annually in the US. 

“Clinical studies have shown that 80% of patients experienced rapid, complete relief from postsurgical pain within four days of the procedure, and 60% achieved total resolution of inflammation within 15 days after surgery," Francis Mah, MD, director of the cornea service at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California, and a member of the Eyenovia scientific advisory board says in a press release from Eyenovia.

"From a safety perspective, fewer than 1% of patients experienced an increase in eye pressure, a side effect of concern to ocular surgeons and commonly associated with steroids,” Dr Mah adds.

Patients also have less of a treatment burden with clobetasol’s twice-daily dosing, as opposed to the 4 doses per day with some steroid options.

Clobetasol will be available soon in the US.

Update: As of September 26, 2024, Eyenovia has launched clobetasol in the U.S. It is now commercially available.