Schering AG licenses eye drug to Bausch and Lomb

Schering AG has announced that it will be licensing Bausch and Lomb to develop and market a new drug for the treatment of eye disorders.

The license requires Bausch and Lomb to examine the properties of a selective glucocticoid receptor agonist (Segra) for the non-systemic treatment of eye disorders.

Under the agreement, Bausch and Lomb will determine the efficacy of the compound as an anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of eye problems, with the intention of raising its opthalamological profile.

Schering states glucocorticoids have had a limited profile in this area due to side effects such as glaucoma induction, but that Segras have a better profile because they use se a distinct molecular mechanism after binding to a glucocorticoid receptor.

Praveen Tyle, chief scientific officer and senior vice president with Segra, comments: “We believe that the Segra technology is a natural fit with Bausch and Lomb’s ocular anti-inflammatory expertise and would strategically complement our portfolio of proprietary loteprednol-based anti-inflammatory products.”

The agreement will see Bausch and Lomb “make upfront and milestone payments” depending on the progress of development and registration of Segra compounds for non-systemic use in ophthalmology. Subsequent payments will be made based on product sales.

It was recently reported that Schering AG is to cease its collaboration with Organon for research into a male contraception pill.

The manufacturers will each continue to investigate male fertility control separately, with the collaboration finishing at the end of a phase II clinical trial.