Recently, Zhaoke Ophthalmology Company announced an exciting news that the company's eye drug candidate NVK002 has achieved impressive positive results in the Phase III clinical trial (China CHAMP). NVK002 is an experimental novel topical eye solution for the control of advanced myopia in children and adolescents using a low dose of 0.01% and 0.02% atropine. This achievement has caused widespread concern in the field of ophthalmology, especially after the atropine sulfate eye drops of Xingqi Eye Medicine, NVK002 has become one of the most high-profile new drugs for the prevention and control of atropine myopia in research.
In October 2020, the company introduced NVK002 from Nevakar, giving it rights to develop and commercialize the drug in China, South Korea and Southeast Asia. Since then, Zhaoke Ophthalmology has spared no effort to promote the research and development process of NVK002. Company executives know that NVK002 has great potential among all drug candidates and is expected to become a "blockbuster" product in the market.
In the field of drug therapy, atropine has a variety of mechanisms of action, including affecting related receptors in the retina and posterior sclera, as well as acting through cholinergic, G-protein and other signaling pathways. Atropine eye drops maintain a relatively good myopia control effect at the same time, the adverse reactions are relatively mild, which makes it the only evidence-based medicine verified that can effectively delay the progression of myopia. Its significant clinical value is expected to subvert the ophthalmology market, which used to be dominated by device consumables.
At present, low-concentration atropine (mainly 0.01%) preparation products have been listed in countries with high myopia incidence such as Singapore and Japan. According to market research, the average annual cost of use in these countries is about 3000-4000 CNY. If calculated according to the domestic annual cost of 1,500 CNY (this price is far less than 1/5 of the cost of surgery and orthokeratology), the theoretical market space of atropine preparations will be as high as 120 billion CNY. This huge market potential has undoubtedly brought great business prospects for Zhaoke Ophthalmology Company.