Some of you laughed at the ARVO poster about HSV-1 Keratitis (Post #79661). However, this has potential as a drug. Note the following about ZIrgan, which the PGN632 was compared with. That is 48000 possible cases a year in the US. This is also something that could get approved relatively quickly as an opthalmic solution. Seems like something to license off to Allergan or J & J. Won't be big, but it is something.
Zirgan is the first innovation in the US topical ophthalmic antiviral class in 30 years
TAMPA, Fla., April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Sirion Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company, announced today that Zirgan™ (ganciclovir ophthalmic gel) 0.15% is now commercially available. Zirgan™, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 2009, is a topical ophthalmic antiviral indicated for the treatment of acute herpetic keratitis (dendritic ulcers).
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About Herpetic Keratitis
Herpetic Keratitis is the number one infectious cause of corneal blindness in the U.S. Herpes simplex virus infections are very common, with nearly 60% of the US population showing evidence of infection by age five. Approximately 1% of infected patients develop ocular outbreaks, with 20,000 primary cases of ocular herpes diagnosed in the US each year. After the primary infection, ocular HSV typically becomes latent until triggers such as stress, UV radiation, and hormonal changes reactivate the virus and cause recurrent outbreaks. Those recurrences account for an additional 28,000 cases per year in the US. The risk of blindness increases with the number and severity of recurrences, making prompt treatment imperative to limit corneal scarring and other more serious ocular complications caused by herpetic ulcers.
About Zirgan™ (ganciclovir ophthalmic gel) 0.15%
Zirgan™ (ganciclovir ophthalmic gel) 0.15% is indicated for topical ophthalmic use as a treatment for acute herpetic keratitis (dendritic corneal ulcers). Zirgan™ is an innovative topical antiviral therapy designed to specifically target herpes virus infected cells. Zirgan™ has been a leading treatment for corneal ulcers, under the brand name Virgan®, in Europe for more than 10 years.
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