Bausch + Lomb's BL1107 falls short in phase 2 glaucoma trial, redirects program toward geographic atrophy implant

Bausch + Lomb announced topline results from its phase 2 study of BL1107 in patients with glaucoma. According to the company, the trial did not achieve its primary endpoint of replicating the visual function improvements observed in a smaller phase 1/2a study following 28 days of topical administration. Based on the totality of the data, the company has decided not to advance the program in this indication as a topical eye drop.¹

“Success in drug development is based on a portfolio, not a single program,” said Yehia Hashad, MD, executive vice president, R&D and chief medical officer, Bausch + Lomb, in a company release. “We’ve intentionally built a diversified pipeline because we know innovation requires pursuing multiple scientific hypotheses simultaneously. Not every program will succeed, but every study helps us make smarter decisions about where to invest.”¹

The randomized, double-masked, 3-arm, parallel-group study enrolled 159 adults aged 18 and older with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The primary endpoint was defined as change from baseline in visual field mean deviation at day 28, and the study did not meet it. Key secondary endpoints assessing visual function, including low-luminance best-corrected visual acuity responder rates, were also not achieved. Evidence of ocular target engagement was observed, however, with the study meeting a secondary endpoint of reduced intraocular pressure at day 28. The safety profile was consistent with prior clinical experience with BL1107, and no new safety signals were identified.¹

BL1107, originally referred to as WB007, came to Bausch + Lomb through its 2025 acquisition of Whitecap Biosciences, a deal the company pursued primarily for the promise of developing a sustained-release implant for geographic atrophy (GA).^1,2 At the time of that acquisition, Whitecap's WB007 had also shown intriguing, if early, clinical signals in glaucoma patients for improving visual acuity, based on a small sample size. Bausch + Lomb pursued both indications simultaneously rather than betting the asset on a single outcome.¹

With the glaucoma readout now in hand, Bausch + Lomb said it will focus solely on developing BL1107 as the first small-molecule sustained-release implant for GA, continuing its collaboration with Ripple Therapeutics, whose patented technology platform chemically engineers drugs into controlled-release pharmaceuticals without the use of polymers. Clinical trials in GA are expected to begin in 2028.¹ The GA effort adds to a pipeline that already includes an RNAi-based candidate for the disease, developed in partnership with City Therapeutics, underscoring how central the GA space has become to the company's research and development strategy.

For clinicians, the result is a reminder of how difficult it remains to demonstrate visual function gains, rather than intraocular pressure lowering alone, in glaucoma trials, even when a molecule shows target engagement. IOP reduction was achieved in this study, but that alone was not enough to justify continued development as a topical drop given the totality of the data on visual field and visual acuity measures. The decision also reflects a pattern seen elsewhere in the ophthalmic pipeline this year, where sponsors facing endpoint misses have chosen to redirect rather than abandon a molecule outright, reallocating a promising mechanism toward an indication where the underlying biology, and the unmet need, may be a better fit.

Bausch + Lomb said its broader strategy is designed to generate multiple clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones over the coming years, positioning the company for growth well into the next decade even as individual programs, like BL1107 in glaucoma, do not pan out as hoped.¹

References:

1. Bausch + Lomb Announces Phase 2 Results for Glaucoma Neuroprotective Candidate. Press release. Bausch + Lomb Corporation. Published July 2026. Accessed July 16, 2026. https://ir.bausch.com/press-releases/bausch-lomb-announces-phase-2-results-glaucoma-neuroprotective-candidate

2. Bausch + Lomb Bolsters Pipeline with Acquisition of Whitecap Biosciences. Press release. Bausch + Lomb Corporation. Published January 13, 2025. Accessed July 16, 2026. https://ir.bausch.com/press-releases/bausch-lomb-bolsters-pipeline-acquisition-whitecap-biosciences