Allergan’s Ozurdex receives EU approval for DMO

Allergan has announced that the European marketing authorisation of its implant therapy Ozurdex has been expanded to include diabetic macular oedema (DMO) for the first time.

The European Commission has approved the implant for the treatment of adult patients with visual impairment due to DMO who have an artificial lens implant or who are considered insufficiently responsive to or unsuitable for non-corticosteroid therapy.

This new approval was supported by positive efficacy data from the MEAD clinical trial programme and follows the product's recent approval for the same indication in the US.

Ozurdex is already available in Europe as a licensed treatment for macular oedema in patients with retinal vein occlusion and for inflammation of the posterior segment of the eye characterised as non-infectious uveitis.

David Pyott, Allergan's chairman of the board and chief executive officer, said: "We are able to continually bring forth innovative new treatment options for physicians and their patients while delivering value to our stockholders."

Last month, the firm announced the appointment of Jim Hindman as its new chief financial officer, succeeding the long-serving Jeff Edwards.