Santen Expands U.S. Business Development Operations
August 13, 2009 12:15 AM
NAPA, Calif.—Santen Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of global ophthalmic pharmaceutical company Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) based here, is establishing a satellite office this month in Irvine, Calif. which will be the base of operations for the business development staff of Santen Inc., a move which will “aggressively expand its clinical and business development efforts to support the company’s international expansion,” according to the company.
“We are focused on the acquisition of innovative compounds and products in three key areas: retina, glaucoma and dry eye," says Santen Inc. president and CEO, Adrienne Graves, PhD. “The Irvine location will facilitate the business development interactions necessary for building a robust global pipeline, particularly for increasing our presence in the U.S. market.” Currently, Santen Inc. has four compounds in U.S. clinical development for the glaucoma and corneal disorder therapeutic categories. During the past year, Santen has entered into partnership agreements with MacuSight, Bausch & Lomb and Merck.
Santen has four FDA-approved drugs currently marketed in the U.S. Since late 2003, Vistakon Pharmaceuticals has had sole U.S. distribution rights for these products: IQUIX (levofloxacin ophthalmic solution) 1.5 percent, QUIXIN (levofloxacin ophthalmic solution) 0.5 percent, BETIMOL (timolol ophthalmic solution) 0.25 percent, 0.5 percent and ALAMAST (pemirolast potassium ophthalmic solution) 0.1 percent. Santen continues to have responsibility for manufacturing, clinical and regulatory activities associated with all four of these products.
Santen, with subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe and Asia, including its wholly-owned Napa, California-based Santen Inc., researches, develops and markets ophthalmic products for physicians worldwide.