The Lumigan first-line indication is in addition to the product’s already established use as a second-line treatment, for which the FDA approved the drug in 2001.
Since its introduction as a first-line treatment, Lumigan has been widely prescribed by eye care professionals to reduce elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients who were intolerant of other IOP-lowering medications or who did not have a sufficient reduction in IOP in multiple measurements using other medications for the disorder.
“The FDA’s first-line indication for Lumigan helps to validate that the lipid class of medications has become the mainstay of IOP-lowering therapy and that once-a-day lipids are becoming the therapy of choice based on their efficacy, systemic safety and ease of use,” said Dr Paul Lee, professor of ophthalmology at Duke University.
Elevated IOP represents a major risk factor for vision loss associated with open-angle glaucoma; the higher the IOP, the greater the likelihood of optic nerve damage, which can lead to vision loss and potential blindness.