Miebo, First Prescription Eye Drop to Treat Tear Evaporation in Dry Eye Disease, Now Available
The perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution from Bausch + Lomb was approved by the FDA in May and will have a whole acquisition cost of $771 for a one-month supply.
Bausch + Lomb has launched Miebo (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution) to treat patients with dry eye disease (DED).1 MIEBO is the first prescription eye drop approved for tear evaporation in dry eye disease.
Miebo will have a whole acquisition cost of $771 for a one-month supply. Eligible commercially insured patients may pay as little as a $0 co-pay, and eligible Medicare Part D patients may be able to receive a product trial through the digital pharmacy service, BlinkRx. A spokesperson said the company is working with payers and health insurance plans to have Miebo placed on formularies.
Dry eye disease affects more than 38 million Americans, with about nine in 10 experiencing evaporative dry eye. When not addressed, tear evaporation may lead to worsening of the condition by triggering a cycle of inflammation and ocular surface damage. Developed by Novaliq, Miebo is a water-, preservative- and steroid-free prescription eye drop that spreads quickly and comfortably.
“More and more Americans are suffering from dry eye disease, due in large part to today’s multi-screen lifestyles,” Andrew Stewart, president, Global Pharmaceuticals and International Consumer, Bausch + Lomb, said in a press release.
The FDA approved Miebo in May 2023, based on results from two pivotal phase 3 trials, which included 1,217 patients with dry eye disease and clinical signs of Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). MGD is a major cause of DED development and progression, with about 86% of people with dry eye having excessive tear evaporation associated with MGD. Patients experienced relief of symptoms as early as day 15 and through day 57 with statistically significant reduction in Visual Analog Scale eye dryness score
In the clinical trials, Miebo delivered improvements in the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease and consistently met its primary clinical sign and patient-reported symptom endpoint. The most common adverse reactions was blurred vision (1% to 3% of patients reported blurred vision and eye redness).
This article originally appeared on Formulary Watch.
