Pipeline Previews

Founded in 1986, OCuSOFT is a research, development and supply company specializing in eye care. The company developed OCuSOFT^® Lid Scrub^® and have crossed over into the skin care market. Zoria^™ Boost^™ Lash Intensifying Serum is the first of many new products in our new cosmetic line made especially for individuals with sensitive eyes. Utilizing patented polypeptide technology, Zoriaâ„¢ BoostLightPodâ„¢ naturally supports eyelash growth and delivers noticeable results. It is available through physicians without a prescription.

Aerolase has launched the powerful LightPod Neo XT aesthetic laser. The breakthrough of 650-microsecond pulse technology enables the production of high and low fluences ranging from 4 j/cm2 to 255 j/cm2 all within this gentle 650μsec pulse duration. This avoids thermal overstressing of the skin, eliminating treatment pain and diminishing the risk of any adverse effects commonly caused by the previous generation of long-pulse lasers. As a result, laser procedures can be performed without needing to cool the skin during treatment, even on skin of color.

The oral phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor apremilast is now indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. On September 23, the manufacturer, Celgene, announced that the Food and Drug Administration had approved the expanded indication for apremilast, which was initially approved in March 2014 for treating psoriatic arthritis. The new indication is for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

iCAD debuted the new Axxent SPX Controller new controller arm for the Xoft^® Axxent^® Electronic Brachytherapy (eBx^®) System ^® at this year’s ASTRO meeting. The Axxent SPX Controller features a streamlined design to support enhanced mobility and flexibility for delivery of electronic brachytherapy treatment in a wider range of healthcare settings including smaller treatment rooms. The Axxent SPX Controller also features new software and an enhanced bar code scanning function that offers significant workflow benefits and improved technology support for HIPAA compliance. These features are also now available on the multi-platform Axxent MPX Controller, which remains commercially available as the company’s platform product approved for use in all indications including breast IORT, breast APBI, skin, endometrial, and cervical cancer treatments.

Promius Pharma announced that 20,000 patients have enrolled in the Promius Promise. The program, which is 18 months old through September 2014, has wrapped itself around severe recalcitrant nodular cystic acne patients and their healthcare providers in a very meaningful way, helping patients with insurance, as well as those without, get the care they need to treat their severe acne. “The number of enrolled patients, 20,000, is an indication of the important role the Promius Promise has played in these patients’ lives and reinforces the current need for a program designed with patient adherence in mind,” commented Victor Caliman, Associate Director of Marketing for Promius Pharma.

Novartis announced the Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee (DODAC) to the US Food and Drug Administration today voted unanimously to support the approval of AIN457 (secukinumab), a selective interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who are candidates for systemic therapy (a drug that is absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed to all parts of the body) or phototherapy (light therapy). The DODAC based its recommendation on the safety and efficacy outcomes from 10 psoriasis Phase II/III clinical studies, which included nearly 4,000 patients with moderateto- severe plaque psoriasis.