Bausch and Lomb licenses ocular redness treatment technology

Bausch and Lomb has acquired an exclusive global license for a potentially effective new treatment for ocular redness, a commonly occurring eye complaint.

Licensed from the pharmaceutical company Eye Therapies and developed in collaboration with private research organisation Ora, the innovative technology uses a uniquely formulated low dose of brimonidine to address the problem.

Currently marketed ocular redness relief therapies often become less effective with repeated use, but it is thought that this new solution could be faster-acting and longer-lasting thanks to its unique mode of action.

Should this new product be approved, it would greatly expand Bausch and Lomb's potential to compete in the $350 million (217.69 million pounds) global ocular redness relief market.

Dr Cal Roberts, chief medical officer at Bausch and Lomb, said: "The decision to license this promising new technology underscores our continued commitment to delivering solutions for physicians and their patients."

This comes after a report from Bloomberg last week revealed that companies such as Abbott, Sanofi and Johnson and Johnson could soon be set to launch a takeover bid for Bausch and Lomb.