Auven Therapeutics sells Ocular Technologies Sarl to Sun Pharma, and with it Seciera, a drug in Phase III for dry eye disease

Auven Therapeutics announced the execution of definitive agreements for the sale of Ocular Technologies Sarl, a wholly-owned Auven subsidiary through which all Seciera (OTX-101) rights are held. Thereby, the exclusive worldwide rights to Seciera, Auven’s novel patented nanomicellar formulation of cyclosporine for the treatment of dry eye disease, will be transferred to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Seciera is currently being studied in a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-arm, Phase III confirmatory trial at 47 investigational sites in the USA. The trial is designed to confirm the significant, clinically meaningful improvement in the signs of dry eye disease exhibited in the previous Phase IIb/III study. Enrolment has been completed with 747 patients, and top-line results are anticipated in the first quarter of 2017. Assuming the confirmatory study is successful, regulatory submission for Seciera will follow thereafter.