Sun Pharma launches dry eye treatment product in Canada

This launch is an important milestone for the drugmaker as it expands its ophthalmics portfolio into Canada, the firm said

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on Thursday said its subsidiary has launched Cequa, a new treatment for dry eye disease, in Canada.

Sun Pharma Canada Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mumbai-based drug major, has introduced Cequa (cyclosporine ophthalmic solution 0.09 per cent w/v), a calcineurin inhibitor immunomodulator.

The product is the first dry eye treatment available in Canada that is delivered with nanomicellar (NCELL) technology, which improves the bioavailability and physicochemical stability of cyclosporine to increase ocular tissue penetration, Sun Pharma said in a statement.

"We are excited to introduce CEQUA as a new treatment option for the more than six million Canadians living with dry eye disease, Sun Pharma North America CEO Abhay Gandhi noted.

This launch is an important milestone for the drugmaker as it expands its ophthalmics portfolio into Canada, he added.

The product demonstrates the company's commitment to providing innovative medicines to support patient and physician choice, Gandhi said.

"Cequa, with its nanomicellar technology and increased strength of cyclosporine, can be an important addition to our treatment options as eye care professionals strive for more personalised treatment," W Bruce Jackson - MD, former Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University and the University of Ottawa - said.

Dry eye disease occurs when the quantity and/or quality of tears fails to keep the surface of the eye properly lubricated. The disease causes a scratchy sensation or a feeling that something is in the eye.