Alcon announces eye drug development partnership

Alcon has entered into a five-year deal that will see it work with AstraZeneca on eye drug development, it has announced.

In a statement, the organisation explained that the deal involves the exclusive ophthalmic discovery and potential development rights to AstraZeneca’s compound library.

The two companies will work together to develop drugs to treat sight-threatening conditions such as retinal diseases, glaucoma and wet and dry age-related macular degeneration.

“Our agreement with AstraZeneca stems from our strategy of enhanced access to sources of technologies and compounds through partnership with leading biomedical research organisations,” said Sabri Markabi, Alcon’s chief medical officer and senior vice-president of research and development.

Jan Lundberg, AstraZeneca’s executive vice-president of global discovery research, stated that the two companies share a common goal in that they both wish to use cutting-edge technology to deliver medicines to patients.

Earlier this month, the company announced that it has ceased the development of anecortave acetate for the reduction of intraocular pressure associated with glaucoma.