FDA Approves New Treatment for Dry Eye Disease
The new drug, known as acoltremon but sold as Tryptyr, is the first of its kind that offers hope to about 38 million people in the U.S. living with DED, fewer than 10% of whom currently use prescription treatments.
DED is a condition where the eyes don't make enough tears or when tears dry up too quickly. It can cause burning, itching, light sensitivity, blurry vision, and a gritty or sandy feeling. Once thought to mostly affect older adults, it can affect all age groups, often due to long screen times. Many treatments are slow to work or hard to use, highlighting the need for better options that treat the root cause, not just the symptoms.
Alcon, the maker of Tryptyr, says the FDA approved the drug based on two late-stage trials with about 930 people who have dry eye disease. Participants got either Tryptyr or a placebo. By day 14, up to four times more people using Tryptyr boosted their tear production. In the two trials, 42.6% and 53.2% of Tryptyr users improved, compared to just 8.2% and 14.4% of placebo users. The drug also started relieving symptoms as early as day one, with effects lasting through day 90.
Tryptyr works by targeting TRPM8 proteins that activate nerves in the eye to boost tear production. It comes in single-use vials, with one drop needed in each eye twice a day. Alcon plans to launch it in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2025.
Marjan Farid, MD, professor of ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine, said the new treatment option might overcome the current challenges for patients.
'Tryptyr is the first eye drop that stimulates corneal nerves to directly address tear deficiency, a known cause of dry eye disease,' she said in a statement.
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