Article

Levofloxacin approved for corneal ulcers

Levofloxacin ophthalmic solution 1.5% (Iquix, Vistakon) has been introduced for the treatment of corneal ulcers.

Jacksonville, FL-Levofloxacin ophthalmic solution 1.5% (Iquix) has been introduced for the treatment of corneal ulcers. It is the only newer-generation fluoroquinolone approved by the FDA for this indication, according to the Vistakon Pharmaceuticals LLC.

Vistakon is marketing the drop through a co-marketing agreement with Santen Inc. The drug is manufactured by Santen Oy, Tampere, Finland. The brand name is a licensed trademark of Daiichi-Sankyo Co. Ltd., Tokyo.

The sterile, preservative-free, topical formulation is designed to penetrate corneal tissue rapidly and provide broad coverage of the most sight-threatening gram-negative and the most prevalent gram-positive pathogens, including Corynebacterium species, Staphylococcus aureus, S epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Viridans group streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens.

"Compared [with] existing ophthalmic fluoroquinolones, [levofloxacin] offers a higher sustained concentration option," said Penny A. Asbell, MD, professor of ophthalmology and director of cornea services, external disease, and refractive surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. "This, paired with its dual mechanism of action, provides a new and important option for doctors' corneal ulcer treatment."

The drop is contraindicated in patients with histories of hypersensitivity to levofloxacin, to other quinolones, or to any of the components in the medication. The formulation was well-tolerated in clinical trials, according to the company. Ocular adverse events occurring in 1% to 2% of patients included decreased/blurred vision, instillation site irritation/discomfort, ocular infection, and ocular pain/discomfort. Non-ocular adverse events, occurring in approximately 8% to 10% of patients, were headache and taste disturbance.

Newsletter

Don’t miss out—get Ophthalmology Times updates on the latest clinical advancements and expert interviews, straight to your inbox.

Related Videos
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Deb Ristvedt, DO, on medications, lasers, and lifestyle in glaucoma management
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Mark Lobanoff, MD, on making the move to office-based surgery
Barsha Lal, PhD, discusses the way low dose atropine affects accommodative amplitude and dynamics at the 2025 ARVO meeting
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) NeuroOp Guru: When eye findings should prompt neuroimaging in suspected neuro-Behcet disease
At the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting, Katherine Talcott, MD, a retina specialist at Cleveland Clinic, shared her findings on EYP-1901 (EyePoint Pharmaceuticals) in the phase 2 DAVIO study.
Dr. Jogin Desai, founder of Eyestem Research, discusses his research at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Michael Rivers, MD, shares his takeaways as a panelist at the inaugural SightLine event
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Karl Stonecipher, MD, on LASIK outcomes using an aspheric excimer laser for high myopia
John Tan talks about an emergency triage framework for retinal artery occlusion at the 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting.
Dr Robert Maloney at the 2025 Controversies in Modern Eye Care meeting
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.