Ophthalmologic surgical procedures

TAIPEI, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Taiwan-based Formosa Pharmaceuticals ("Formosa", 6838.TWO) announced today that the company has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Tabuk Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Company ("Tabuk"), for exclusive rights to the commercialization of clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension, 0.05% (APP13007), a patented innovative medicine for the treatment of inflammation and pain following ocular surgery in key regions of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension, 0.05% (APP13007) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 4, 2024. The licensing agreement includes upfront, commercialization milestones, and sales milestones, with additional considerations throughout the term of the agreement. APP13007's active ingredient is the superpotent corticosteroid, clobetasol propionate, and is derived from Formosa Pharma's proprietary APNT™ nanoparticle formulation platform. The novel formulation enables a convenient and straightforward dosing regimen (twice daily for 14 days) while providing rapid and sustained relief of inflammation and pain, which in Phase 3 trials proved statistically and clinically superior to its matching placebo (p<0.001). APP13007 will have significant potential in the MENA region for the ocular surgery market. "We are pleased to establish this partnership with Tabuk Pharmaceuticals, the largest private Saudi company and one of the most prominent pharmaceutical corporations in the MENA region. We are confident Tabuk's experience, vast network, and commitment to value-added and innovative medicines will deliver APP13007 to patients recovering from ocular surgery," said Erick Co, President and CEO of Formosa Pharmaceuticals. Ismail Shehada, CEO of Tabuk Pharmaceuticals, stated, "We are excited at Tabuk to be partnering with Formosa to introduce this innovative drug for patients in Saudi Arabia and remaining MENA countries which reinforces our leading position in the region and our role to deliver unique health solutions and enhance the well-being of people." About Formosa Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Formosa Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (6838.TWO) is a clinical stage biotechnology company with primary focus in the areas of ophthalmology and oncology. The company's proprietary nanoparticle formulation technology (APNT™), through which APP13007 was developed, improves the dissolution and bioavailability of APIs for topical, oral, and inhaler administration. Resulting formulations have high uniformity, purity, and stability, thereby allowing the utilization of poorly soluble or extremely potent drug agents which otherwise may face insurmountable challenges in delivery and penetration to target tissues. For more details about Formosa Pharma and APNT™, visit . About Tabuk Established in 1994, Tabuk Pharmaceuticals is a leading Saudi pharmaceutical company with a regional presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Tabuk Pharmaceuticals develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes various branded generics, in addition to manufacturing pharmaceutical products for renowned international partners at its manufacturing sites in Saudi Arabia, as part of its continuous efforts to cover the needs of patients by providing high quality medicines. Tabuk Pharmaceuticals is a major player in the pharmaceutical sector thanks to its four state-of-the-art manufacturing sites located in Tabuk and Dammam in the Kingdom, as well as in Sudan and Algeria, orchestrated by a team of more than 2,400 employees. Tabuk Pharmaceuticals reaches patients in 17 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, with future plans to expand its presence in the region. SOURCE Formosa Pharmaceuticals Inc.

TUESDAY, Jan. 30, 2024 -- Older adults frequently delay needed surgery because of financial concerns, a new study finds. Nearly half of people ages 50 and older who were very concerned about the cost of surgery wound up not having an operation they had considered, researchers reported Jan. 30 in the journal JAMA Network Open . Further, more than half who were very concerned about taking time off work wound up dropping plans for surgery, results show. “When I counsel patients in my clinic who are considering elective surgery, I now also spend a good deal of time discussing the financial and employment implications of surgery with them,” said researcher Dr. Nicholas Berlin , a surgical fellow with the University of Michigan Medical School. “Unfortunately, I have seen a number of insured patients forego needed surgery because they are unable to afford the out-of-pocket costs or take time away from work for recovery,” Berlin added in a university news release. For the study, Berlin and his colleagues analyzed data from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, which showed in 2022 that nearly half of older adults considering surgery had concerns about costs, work time lost or COVID risk. About two-thirds who said they were very concerned about COVID exposure during surgery or recovery wound up not having an operation they had considered, researchers found. On the other hand, few patients dropped plans for surgery due to concerns over pain or recovery. For instance, those very concerned about surgery-related pain were as likely as those with no concerns about pain to proceed with their planned operation, results show. Berlin said that federal policymakers have tried to address cost issues by requiring price transparency from hospitals. Those efforts also include reducing the amount of tacked-on “surprise” billing that can occur when someone receives care from a provider not in their insurance network. However, those policies don’t address lost wages from taking work off for surgery or costs related to the way a person’s health insurance is structured, Berlin said. For example, over the past two decades the percentage of people over 60 who work has doubled. At the same time, enrollment in limited-network Medicare Advantage plans and high-deductible heath plans has grown. More research is needed to understand what influences a person’s decision to proceed with operations, said poll director Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren , an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan. “More research is needed to understand and address caregiver impacts, which were also a factor in not having surgery for some people in the study,” Kullgren added. “This includes both those who are concerned about surgery temporarily making them unable to care for someone else, and those concerned about having someone to care for them after their operation.” The poll included 2,110 adults between the ages of 50 and 80, of whom 32% had considered an elective surgical procedure in the previous five years. Two-thirds of those who considered an operation wound up going through with it. The most common elective operations were knee or hip replacement, cataract surgery, hernia repair, gall bladder removal and hysterectomy, results show. Those procedures can be medically necessary and covered by insurance, but some participants also had considered cosmetic surgery, which is paid for entirely out of pocket. Sources University of Michigan, news release, Jan. 30, 2024 Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions. Posted January 2024 More news resources FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts Daily MedNews News for Health Professionals New Drug Approvals New Drug Applications Drug Shortages Clinical Trial Results Generic Drug Approvals Subscribe to our newsletter Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.