Shire reports positive data from dry eye disease drug trial

Shire has announced new data from a phase III efficacy and safety study of lifitegrast, its new treatment for dry eye disease.

Results from the OPUS-3 trial comparing lifitegrast to placebo showed the drug was associated with significantly improvements in patient-reported symptoms of dry eye disease from baseline to day 84, meeting the primary study endpoint.

Additionally, the trial met its secondary endpoints by delivering improvement in symptoms from baseline to days 14 and 42. Further findings from the study will be presented at a medical meeting in 2016.

The data will be used to support future regulatory approval processes for lifitegrast, with plans still in place for a 2016 launch.

Dr Flemming Ornskov, chief executive officer at Shire, said: "With these highly statistically significant results, we're increasingly confident about the potential of lifitegrast and the overall progress we're making in growing Shire's presence in ophthalmics."

The company recently announced a four percent year-on-year increase in revenues during the third quarter of 2015.