Johnson & Johnson Vision Launches World’s First Drug-Releasing Contact Lens for Allergic Eye Itch

Today, Johnson & Johnson Vision, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has approved the market launch of its drug-eluting contact lens, Acuvue Theravision. This contact lens contains ketotifen, an antihistamine medication used to treat eye itching associated with ocular allergies. The press release stated that this is the first drug-eluting contact lens to receive regulatory approval for commercialization worldwide, marking a significant breakthrough in innovative ophthalmic drug delivery technology.

With the aging of the population, changes in lifestyle habits, and increased use of electronic devices, the incidence of ophthalmic diseases is continuously rising. Currently, many medications for treating ophthalmic conditions are administered as eye drops. Although this method is convenient, it has certain limitations. Due to the continuous secretion of tears, which serve to lubricate and moisten the eye, the retention time of drugs delivered via eye drops is short. Previous studies have shown that only 5% of the drug in eye drops reaches the target tissues where it is needed. This means that patients may need to instill eye drops multiple times a day, which not only causes inconvenience in their daily lives but also compromises therapeutic efficacy if doses are missed.

Since their introduction in the 1960s, contact lenses have become a modality for ophthalmic drug delivery under scientific investigation. The advantage of drug delivery via contact lenses lies in their prolonged wear on the eye, which significantly extends the residence time of the released drug in the ocular environment, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Meanwhile, patients are spared from repeated administrations, avoiding the compromise of drug efficacy due to forgotten eye drop instillations.

The drug-eluting contact lens developed by Johnson & Johnson incorporates ketotifen, a common antihistamine, into the contact lens material. It demonstrated positive therapeutic outcomes in two Phase 3 clinical trials. In patients wearing the drug-releasing contact lenses, a significant reduction in ocular itching was observed within 15 minutes of insertion, and this effect persisted for 12 hours.

Over the past few decades, scientists have made significant strides in developing drug-eluting contact lenses. Approaches have evolved from simply soaking lenses in medicinal solutions to chemically integrating therapeutic agents into the lens material, and embedding drug-loaded nanoparticles within the lenses to achieve sustained, slow-release effects. Experimental studies have demonstrated that these contact lenses can accommodate and release a variety of drugs, including antibiotics, steroids, immunosuppressants, and anti-inflammatory agents. The application of this drug delivery technology extends not only to short-term postoperative care following ocular surgeries, such as LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis), but also to the treatment of chronic eye conditions like glaucoma and dry eye disease.

With the market launch of the first drug-releasing contact lenses, we anticipate that this innovative technology will see broader application, offering a more convenient and effective approach to maintaining eye health.

References:

[1] Johnson & Johnson Vision Receives Approval ofWorld’s First and Only Drug-Releasing Combination Contact Lens for VisionCorrection and Allergic Eye Itch: ACUVUE® Theravision™ with Ketotifen.Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.jjvision.com/press-release/johnson-johnson-vision-receives-approval-worlds-first-and-only-drug-releasing

[2] Xu et al., (2018). A comprehensive review on contactlens for ophthalmic drug delivery. Journal of Controlled Release, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.05.020

[3] Johnson & Johnson Vision's InvestigationalAntihistamine-Releasing Contact Lens Demonstrates Positive Phase 3 Results.Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/johnson--johnson-visions-investigational-antihistamine-releasing-contact-lens-demonstrates-positive-phase-3-results-300818141.html

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