China approves treatment for chronic non-infectious eye inflammation

Ocumension Therapeutics has announced that the New Drug Application (NDA) for the core product in its pipeline, OT-401 (Sterile non-bioerodible intravitreal implant, Product name: YUTIO), has been officially approved by the China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of chronic non-infectious uveitis involving the posterior segment of the eye (chronic NIU-PS). This is the first new drug in Ocumension’s pipeline to be approved for marketing and is currently the potential best-in-class therapy for the treatment of this indication in China. Noninfectious uveitis is a chronic form of uveitis that can lead to a variety of complications such as cataracts and glaucoma, and when the inflammation is not promptly controlled, it can also lead to impaired vision or even permanent vision loss. The complexity of the clinical presentation of non-infectious uveitis and the high degree of similarity between subtypes pose significant diagnostic and differential problems.