The ophthalmology industry has always been known as the "golden track" of the capital market, and it is a rare double-high track
with high growth and high barriers.
In recent years, the number of patients with eye diseases and the demand for treatment in China have been growing, and the field of ophthalmic treatment has also begun to be favored by major pharmaceutical research and development companies and investment institutions, and has become the strategic focus of
many pharmaceutical technology companies.
Incomplete statistics show that since 2021, there have been no less than 10 financing events in the field of ophthalmic drug research and development, and many investment institutions, including Sequoia China, Hillhouse Investment, and Zhengxin Valley Capital, have participated in the layout
of the field of ophthalmic treatment earlier.
Since the beginning of this year, more and more domestic pharmaceutical technology companies have accelerated the layout of the ophthalmic track, and the research and development of ophthalmic drugs has been taken as an important part of
the company's strategic layout 。 For example, Zhaoke Ophthalmology said in early August this year that its partner Vyluma Inc.
(a wholly-owned subsidiary of the US biopharmaceutical company Nevakar Inc.
) is conducting Phase III clinical trials of NVK002 (one of Megape's core products) in Europe and the United States, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 and is expected to submit a new drug application to the US Food and Drug Administration in 2023.
NVK002 is currently positioned as the world's first clinically proven recognized drug
to treat deepening myopia.
In July, Weiyan Bio announced that its self-developed innovative drug VVN539 (for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma) completed the enrollment of the first patient in the United States phase II clinical trial, marking that the development of the first independent innovation drug for glaucoma in China has entered a rapid stage
of advancement.
According to public information, VVN539 is an eye drop drug
independently developed by Weiyan Bio and has global intellectual property rights.
As a new generation of drugs with a dual-target mechanism, it directly acts on the trabecular network of the eye, increases the outflow of aqueous humor, in order to achieve the desired effect of reducing intraocular pressure, and is expected to have no less antihypertensive ability than that of prostacypin drugs, and has great potential
to form a compound with other mechanism drugs.
On June 21, Aucom Vision announced that First-in-Class's innovative eye drug OT-401 (fluorocinolone vitreous implant) was approved for listing by the State Food and Drug Administration, filling the gap in the treatment of uveitis of blind eye disease in China, and is expected to become a large single product
with annual sales of more than 1.
5 billion yuan.
It is worth mentioning that Ocon Vision is currently registered in the CDE for phase III clinical trials of the number of innovative eye drugs, the pipeline has been expanded to 23 drug assets, to achieve full coverage
of the main front and rear of the eye diseases.
Seven drugs have entered Phase III clinical trials, including three fundus drugs
.
The reason why its R & D pipeline is so rich is mainly that it is vigorously investing in innovation in recent years, and it is understood that its R & D investment will reach 455 million yuan
in 2021.
In April, Jixing Pharmaceutical announced the introduction of an exclusive interest in two research presbyopia treatment drugs developed by LENZ Therapeutics, a U.
S.
-based biopharmaceutical company, in China with an advance payment of US$110 million and a potential milestone payment
.
In general, the ophthalmic market is in a high-growth stage of development, and the next 10 years will be a very promising segment
.
In this context, with the increasing market demand, the enthusiasm of pharmaceutical companies for research and development will continue to rise in
the future.
At the same time, with the progress of basic research, ophthalmology will gradually enter the era of
innovative drugs.
