Glaucoma - Competitive landscape, 2025

DelveInsight's, "Glaucoma - Competitive landscape, 2025," report provides comprehensive insights about 100+ companies and 110+ drugs in Glaucoma Competitive landscape. It covers the therapeutics assessment by product type, stage, route of administration, and molecule type. It further highlights the inactive pipeline products in this space.

Geography Covered:

• Global coverage

Glaucoma: Understanding

Glaucoma: Overview

Glaucoma describes a group of conditions in which there is characteristic cupping of the optic disc with corresponding visual field defects due to retinal ganglion cell loss. It is a progressive condition and the most common cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The two major categories of glaucoma are open-angle glaucoma and narrow-angle glaucoma/angle-closure glaucoma. The "angle" in both cases refers to the drainage angle inside the eye that controls the outflow of the watery fluid (aqueous) which is being produced inside the eye.

Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is the most common form of the disease. The drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris remains open, but the trabecular meshwork is partially blocked. It happens so slowly that the patient may lose vision before they are even aware of a problem, while in the case of narrow-angle glaucoma, the structure inside the eye that allows fluid to drain normally from the eye (called the drainage angle) becomes restricted. Narrow drainage angles in the eye increase the risk of the drainage angle that gets blocked, resulting in a significant increase in eye pressure and risk of vision loss.

The pathology of Glaucoma often reveals a spindle cell morphology, with varying degrees of cellular differentiation. Histologically, Glaucoma is characterized by a unique fusion of the SYT gene on chromosome 18 with either SSX1, SSX2, or rarely SSX4 on chromosome X. This translocation leads to the formation of a chimeric SS18-SSX fusion gene, resulting in an abnormal protein that plays a crucial role in the development and progression of Glaucoma. Tumor cells are typically arranged in a biphasic pattern, featuring both epithelial and spindle cell components.

Primary glaucoma occurs without any underlying eye condition, while secondary glaucoma is a result of other eye disorders or systemic factors affecting intraocular pressure. Primary Glaucoma is present in 71.1% of subjects, with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG) being the most common subtype at 27.1%. Secondary Glaucoma is found in 17.4% of patients.

Most people with glaucoma do not notice symptoms until they begin to lose eyesight. As glaucoma damages optic nerve fibers, small blind spots may begin to develop. These spots usually occur on the side or in the peripheral vision. Many people do not notice the blind spots until significant optic nerve damage has already happened. Blindness can result when the entire nerve is destroyed.

There is no cure for glaucoma, but early treatment can often stop the damage and protect the vision. Doctors use a few different types of treatment for glaucoma, including medicines (usually eye drops), laser treatment, and surgery.

Medications for glaucoma treatment aims to lower IOP through two mechanisms: decreasing AH production and increasing AH outflow. It is recommended that IOP should be lowered to a target level, generally 20% below the baseline as measured several times. Prostaglandin analogs and beta-blockers are currently the most frequently used agents.

Report Highlights:

• In May 2025, Palatin Technologies, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative treatments targeting the melanocortin receptor system, announced new preclinical data for PL9588, a novel melanocortin receptor agonist, presented at the 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting. The findings support the potential of PL9588 as a topical treatment for glaucoma, combining both IOP-lowering and neuroprotective effects.
• In May 2025, Perfuse Therapeutics, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company pioneering transformational therapies to treat ischemia-induced ocular diseases, announced positive 24-week results from its completed Phase I/IIa trial of PER-001, a first in class endothelin antagonist intravitreal implant for glaucoma.
• In March 2025, TME Pharma N.V a clinical stage biotechnology company, and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) announced that an abstract highlighting data from preclinical studies performed with mNOX-E36 by SERI has been selected for poster presentation at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2025 Annual Meeting. Preclinical data show that mNOX-E36 is as efficacious as standard of care mitomycin C (MMC) at attenuating post-operative inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) following glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS), a common procedure to reduce intraocular pressure while having a much more favorable safety profile. Unlike MMC, mNOX-E36 does not destroy blood vessels in the conjunctiva, potentially overcoming the substantial toxicity seen with MMC which is a key limitation of this current standard treatment.
• In June 2024, NurExone Biologic Inc. announced a pre-clinical study to explore the potential of NurExone's exosome-based therapies in regenerating damaged optic nerves. The study, initiated by renowned ophthalmologist and serial entrepreneur Prof. Michael Belkin from Tel Aviv University's Goldschleger Eye Research Institute, and led by the principal investigators Prof. Ygal Rotenstreich and Dr. Ifat Sher from the Sheba Medical Center Eye Institute1, is the latest step in expanding potential clinical indications for Nurexone Biologic's exosome-loaded drugs.
• In January 2024, Nicox announced that USPTO has determined that the US Patent No. 7,629,345, which covers latanoprostene bunod, commercialized by Bausch + Lomb under the trademark VYZULTA, is eligible for patent term extension of five years. Nicox has also applied for patent term extension of two other patents covering latanoprostene bunod, US patent numbers 7,273,946 and 8,058,467.
• Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are using a novel approach to hopefully develop a new therapy for glaucoma, a complex disease that eventually leads to blindness. The project will focus on developing a new glaucoma therapeutic by testing human neurons and a regenerative therapy to rescue visual neurons from dying preclinically in human eyes under glaucoma conditions. This combination has never been used before.

Glaucoma: Company and Product Profiles (Marketed Therapies)

1. Company Overview: Bausch & Lomb

Bausch & Lomb, a subsidiary of Bausch Health Companies, is a vision-care company with focus on the protection, enhancement and restoration of eyesight. It provides over-the-counter supplements, eye care products, contact lenses, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. The company develops, manufactures and markets eye health products for the treatment of a wide range of eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, glaucoma, eye allergies, dry eye and retinal diseases. It has presence across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. Bausch & Lomb is headquartered in New Jersey, United States.

Product Description: VYZULTA

VYZULTA (latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution), 0.024%, is used to lower intraocular (eye) pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. VYZULTA is a nitric oxide-donating prostaglandin F2-alpha analog. This unique aspect of the drug's mechanism, the donation of nitric oxide, gives it an efficacy edge in lowering IOP compared to latanoprost alone. It works by increasing the outflow of aqueous humor through both the trabecular meshwork and uveoscleral routes. By regulating the flow of fluid within the eye, it effectively reduces intraocular pressure, a critical factor in preventing glaucoma progression and associated visual field loss.

Company Overview: Alcon

Alcon is the global leader in eye care, dedicated to helping people see brilliantly. With an over 75-year heritage, the company is the largest eye care device company in the world, with complementary businesses in Surgical and Vision Care. Being a truly global company, and work in 60 countries and serve patients in more than 140 countries. The company have a long history of industry firsts, and each year it commit a substantial amount in Research and Development to meet customer needs and patient demands.

Product Description: Travatan Z

TRAVATAN Z(R) (travoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.004% is indicated for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The recommended dosage is one drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening. TRAVATAN Z should not be administered more than once daily since it has been shown that more frequent administration of prostaglandin analogs may decrease the IOP-lowering effect. Reduction of the IOP starts approximately 2 hours after the first administration with maximum effect reached after 12 hours. TRAVATAN Z may be used concomitantly with other topical ophthalmic drug products to lower IOP. If more than one topical ophthalmic drug is being used, the drugs should be administered at least 5 minutes apart.

Glaucoma: Company and Product Profiles (Pipeline Therapies)

1. Company Overview: Nicox Ophthalmics

Cara Therapeutics is an early commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company leading a new treatment to improve the lives of patients suffering Glaucoma. The corporate strategy is to leverage our first-in-class lead product, difelikefalin, to potentially treat pruritus across systemic, dermatologic, and neurologic disease categories. The company's strategic priorities are to launch and maximize the commercial potential of KORSUVA injection and to develop oral difelikefalin across all categories of pruritus, thus changing how pruritus is treated in clinical practice.

Product Description: NCX 470

NCX 470 is a novel nitric oxide (NO)-donating bimatoprost eye drop that leverages the potent intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effects of NO and prostaglandin analogs (PGAs). NCX 470 incorporates Nicox's proprietary NO-donating research platform and bimatoprost in a single molecule. NCX 470 is designed to release bimatoprost and NO into the eye to lower IOP by two different pathways in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. NO is a well-known small, naturally occurring signaling molecule that plays a key role in the regulation of IOP through activation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). NO brings additional IOP-lowering efficacy by enhancing aqueous humor drainage from the eye via a different mechanism of action to that of PGAs. Bimatoprost, marketed under the brand name LUMIGAN(R) by AbbVie, Inc., is the leading branded PGA. PGAs are the most widely used class of drugs for IOP-lowering in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. We believe that the proven dual mechanism of action can achieve superior IOP-lowering compared to the parent compound alone. Beneficial effects of NCX 470 have additionally been demonstrated in an in vivo model of retinal cell damage. Currently the drug is in Phase III stage of its development for the treatment of glaucoma.

2. Company Overview: Qlaris Bio, Inc.

Qlaris Bio, Inc. was founded in August 2019 with a singular focus: to develop novel, innovative therapies with first-in-class mechanisms of action to address serious and debilitating ophthalmic diseases. The company's lead program, QLS-111, uses ATP-sensitive potassium channel modulators that improve outflow through distal vascular tissues of the eye to reduce IOP. Qlaris Bio's investors include Canaan and New Leaf Venture Partners, who co-led the company's $24 million Series B funding round in April 2024. Other investors include Correlation Ventures, Mayo Clinic, and funds managed by abrdn Inc.

Product Description: QLS-111

QLS-111 is a novel topical formulation using Qlaris Bio's ATP-sensitive potassium channel modulator platform originally developed by Michael Fautsch, Ph.D., professor of ophthalmology, biochemistry, and molecular biology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. QLS-111 lowers IOP by relaxing vessels of the vascular and vascular-like tissues distal to the trabecular meshwork, thereby reducing distal outflow resistance and lowering EVP. Though multiple mechanisms of action exist to lower IOP in patients with glaucoma, these agents target only three of the four components of IOP as described by the Goldmann equation for IOP: the aqueous humor inflow rate, the uveoscleral outflow rate, and the conventional outflow facility. There are currently no approved drugs that primarily target the reduction of EVP. This leaves a significant gap in the potential to maximally lower IOP, since EVP can be the largest determinant of overall IOP. Currently the drug is in Phase II stage of its development for the treatment of glaucoma.

3. Company Overview: Perfuse Therapeutics

Perfuse Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering transformational therapies to treat ischemia-induced ocular diseases. Enabled by its proprietary sustained-release drug delivery platform, the Company is developing a robust pipeline of novel assets against validated targets. Headquartered in South San Francisco, California, and with R&D facilities in Durham, North Carolina, Perfuse Therapeutics has established a strong team committed to advancing disease-modifying therapies to patients with ocular disease around the world.

Product Description: PER-001

PER-001 is a novel (new chemical entity), first-in-class small molecule endothelin receptor antagonist. Endothelin is the most potent vasoconstrictor in the human body and is upregulated in glaucoma. Endothelin is involved in inflammation and cell death through its receptors expressed in retinal vascular and neuroretinal cells. The PER-001 intravitreal implant is a bio-erodible implant administered into the vitreous cavity of the eye using a single-use, 25-gauge applicator and designed to provide a sustained release of PER-001, allowing for a convenient every 6 months dosing frequency. The drug is currently in Phase I/II stage of its development for the treatment of glaucoma.

Glaucoma Analytical Perspective by DelveInsight

• In-depth Commercial Assessment: Glaucoma Collaboration Analysis by Companies

The Report provides in-depth commercial assessment of drugs that have been included, which comprises collaboration, agreement, licensing and acquisition - deals values trends. The sub-segmentation is described in the report which provide company-company collaboration (licensing/partnering), company academic collaboration and acquisition analysis in tabulated form.

• Glaucoma Competitive Landscape

The report comprises of comparative assessment of Companies (by therapy, development stage, and technology).

Glaucoma Report Assessment

• Company Analysis
• Therapeutic Assessment
• Pipeline Assessment
• Inactive drugs assessment
• Unmet Needs

Key Questions:

Current Treatment Scenario and Emerging Therapies:

• How many companies are developing Glaucoma drugs?
• How many Glaucoma drugs are developed by each company?
• How many emerging drugs are in mid-stage, and late-stage of development for the treatment of Glaucoma?
• What are the key collaborations (Industry-Industry, Industry-Academia), Mergers and acquisitions, licensing activities related to the Glaucoma therapeutics?
• What are the recent trends, drug types and novel technologies developed to overcome the limitation of existing therapies?
• What are the clinical studies going on for Glaucoma and their status?
• What are the key designations that have been granted to the emerging and approved drugs?

Key Players

• Santen Pharmaceuticals
• Nicox Ophthalmics
• Qlaris Bio
• VivaVision Biotech
• Theratocular Biotek
• Perfuse Therapeutics
• Omikron Italia S.r.l.
• Laboratoires Thea
• PolyActiva Pty Ltd
• Amydis Inc.

Key Products

• DE-126
• NCX 470
• QLS-111
• VVN539
• TO-O-1001
• PER-001
• Citicoline eye drops 2%
• T4090
• PA5108
• AMDX-2011P