Data presented at the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) show that Xalacom (latanoprost-timolol maleate ophthalmic solution) demonstrated similar reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension when compared to the unfixed combination of latanoprost and timolol.
A 12 week study showed no statistically significant difference in the reduction of IOP following administration of the combined treatment of Xalacom once in the evening compared to receiving three separate installations of the component treatments (latanoprost once daily and timolol in the morning and evening).
“Based on previous data there has been a perception that the unfixed combination was more effective in reducing intraocular pressure, however, these data show there is no difference in IOP lowering effects of Xalacom and the unfixed combination of latanoprost and timolol” commented Dr Diestelhorst, University of Koln, Germany, who was one of the primary investigators in the study.
However, fewer patients experienced adverse events with the fixed combination product. In the fixed combination group, 16.8% of patients experienced at least one adverse event, compared to 24.4% in the unfixed combination group, and the percentage of patients reporting ocular events was lower in the fixed combination group (11.8%) versus the unfixed combination group (20.1%).
Xalatan /Xalacom has been approved for use in Europe since December 2000 and is available in most other countries outside of the US & Japan. In the US, where the product is known as Xalcom, the FDA has granted it approvable status.