Dive Brief:
- Kala Pharma is advancing clinical study of loteprednol etabonate (LE-MPP) for various ocular conditions, including dry eye disease and inflammation after cataract surgery.
- This is the first product that Kala has developed using its Mucus Penetrating Particle (MPP) technology.
- This is the first part of a more extensive clinical development program, which will add on additional trials at the end of the year
Dive Insight:
A phase III trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of LE-MPP versus placebo for treatment of postoperative anterior acute ocular inflammation. Another trial will evaluate LE-MPP in patients with dry eye disease. Later in the year, investigators will evaluate use of LE-MPP in subjects with inflammatory meibomian gland disease and separately in patients with diabetic macular edema.
MPP is a nanotechnology-based platform that allows drugs to pass through the mucus layer of the tear film, which makes it easier for them to penetrate more deeply into different parts of the eye.