European Commissions approves atropine drop

A low-dose atropine eye drop designed to slow the progression of myopia has been granted market authorisation by the European Commission.

Santen Pharmaceutical’s Ryjunea was made for children aged three to 14 years who had myopia progression of 0.5 dioptres (D) or more per year and a severity of -0.5D to -6.0D.

The company highlighted that a study showed Ryjunea reduced the annual progression of myopia by 39% over two years compared to placebo.

Marianthi Psaha, head of business, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at Santen, said: ‘Bringing this treatment to EU countries marks a significant milestone for our efforts to address childhood myopia across the region.’