Entod Pharma gets DCGI nod for phase 3 trials of Atropine eye drops

MYATRO 0.01% eye drops is used to treat eye problems like myopia, especially in children when a child can clearly see nearby objects but has problems seeing distant objects. "Low-dose atropine has emerged as an effective approach to slow the progression of myopia in children and has recently garnered a lot of interest from ophthalmologists," the company noted.

A recent LAMP (Low-Concentration Atropine for Myopia Progression) study published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) revealed that the 0.05%, 0.025%, and 0.01% atropine eye drops reduced myopia progression and were well tolerated without any adverse effect by children. However, out of the three concentrations, 0.05% atropine was the most effective in controlling AL elongation and SE progression over a period of one year.

Speaking about the latest development, the Executive Director of ENTOD Pharmaceuticals, Mr Nikkhil K Masurkar said "We have already recruited several clinical research sites across India to start phase 3 trial studies and hopefully, we should be the first company in the world to get approval for marketing 0.05% atropine eye drops from the DCGI. Being market leaders in paediatric ophthalmology medicine, we hope this new therapeutic addition to the low-dose atropine range will allow us to tackle the menace of childhood myopia in India. Myopia is the most important cause of visual impairment in children and as per a study by AIIMS, 17 per cent of children or 1 out of 6 children in India between the ages of 5-15 years are suffering from myopia."

"Myopia is a growing concern that causes an abnormal curvature of the cornea or elongation of the eyeball such that light no longer focuses directly on the retina. Excessive laptop & smartphone screen exposure times particularly due to online home schooling during the pandemic, reduced outdoor play and a deceased exposure to sunlight has considerably increased the incidence of myopia in younger children which could lead to visual complications in later life including glaucoma, early cataract development, retinal detachments and myopic maculopathy. Low-Dose Atropine eye drops is one of the most viable therapeutic option available to slow down the progression of myopia rapidly and improve a child's vision" said Dr Namrata Sharma, Hony. General Secretary, All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS)

She further added "Atropine treatment is now become part of routine clinical practice in India and shows real promise as a treatment for controlling myopia. The clinical trials will allow us to further understand how the atropine 0.05% can be used effectively with no side effects as a solution for growing myopia concerns not only in India but across the entire world."