Azithromycin launches in United States

Durham, NC-Inspire Pharmaceuticals has launched the 1% azithromycin ophthalmic solution (AzaSite) developed by InSite Vision Inc. for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in the United States. Administered via InSite's patented drug-delivery vehicle (DuraSite), the eye drop received FDA approval for the treatment of the condition in April.

The recommended dose for the solution is one drop twice a day for 2 days, followed by one drop once a day for the next 5 days, for a total of nine drops per affected eye. The current market leader's recommended dosing regimen is one drop three times a day for 7 days per affected eye, according to InSite.

"[The solution] is a welcome addition to the treatment regimen for bacterial conjunctivitis," said Francis S. Mah, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology and co-medical director, Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "In phase III clinical trials, [the solution] had excellent bacterial eradication rates against the three most common causes of bacterial conjunctivitis, with tolerability similar to placebo."

Inspire licensed the rights to commercialize the solution in the United States and Canada in February. Under terms of the agreement, InSite is entitled to receive royalties on net sales of the product.

"We anticipate that [the drop] will become the first of multiple anti-infective therapies developed and commercialized with our . . . drug-delivery technology," said S. Kumar Chandrasekaran, PhD, InSite's chairman and chief executive officer.