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Ocuphire Announces the U.S. Commercial Launch of RYZUMVl™ (Phentolamine Ophthalmic Solution 0.75%) by its Partner Viatris

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Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. announces the U.S. commercial launch of RYZUMVI™ in partnership with Viatris Inc. for the treatment of retinal and refractive eye disorders.
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Ocuphire Pharma's recent commercial launch of RYZUMVI is a significant milestone for the company. This event marks the transition from a developmental stage to a potential revenue-generating phase. The partnership with Viatris Inc. for the commercialization of Phentolamine Ophthalmic Solution is a strategic move, potentially expanding Ocuphire's market reach and leveraging Viatris's established commercial infrastructure.

The ophthalmic solution addresses retinal and refractive eye disorders, which remain areas with high unmet medical needs. The successful penetration of RYZUMVI into the market could lead to increased market share for both Ocuphire and Viatris. However, the success will largely depend on the effectiveness of the marketing strategy, competitive landscape and the drug's reception by healthcare professionals and patients.

Financially, the agreement's structure with regulatory and commercial milestones, along with royalties, provides a diversified income stream for Ocuphire. This can be favorable for their financial stability and can attract investor interest. However, investors should monitor the execution of commercial strategies and sales performance closely to gauge the long-term financial impact.

Entering into a global license agreement with Viatris, Ocuphire has laid a foundation for legal and regulatory compliance in the commercialization process. The partnership is likely to navigate the complex regulatory environment effectively, which is critical for the success of pharmaceutical products.

Moreover, the terms of the agreement, which include regulatory and commercial milestones plus royalties, suggest a performance-based relationship that can incentivize both parties to focus on successful product launch and sales. It's important for stakeholders to understand that while such agreements can be lucrative, they also carry obligations and legal risks that must be managed. For instance, any failure to meet regulatory standards or adverse effects of the drug could have legal ramifications.

Stakeholders should also note that the pharmaceutical industry is subject to stringent regulations and any deviation from compliance can result in significant legal challenges and financial penalties. Therefore, the expertise and track record of Viatris in handling such matters will be critical to the success of RYZUMVI's commercialization.

The launch of RYZUMVI by Ocuphire Pharma, in collaboration with Viatris, is a strategic move that could have a substantial financial impact on Ocuphire's revenue streams. The deal structure, which includes milestones and royalties, is designed to align the interests of both companies towards the successful commercialization of the product.

From a financial perspective, the milestones can provide non-dilutive funding, which is beneficial for Ocuphire's capital structure. Royalties offer a continuous income source that could improve the company's profitability over time. However, the actual financial benefit will depend on the product's market uptake and competitive dynamics. It is also essential for investors to consider the cost of commercialization, including marketing and sales expenses, when evaluating the potential return on investment.

Given the potential of RYZUMVI to address a significant unmet medical need, there is an opportunity for robust sales growth. Nonetheless, investors should be aware of the inherent risks in the pharmaceutical industry, such as slower-than-expected adoption rates, competition from other treatments and possible side effects that could impact the drug's market potential.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., April 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: OCUP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for the treatment of unmet needs of patients with retinal and refractive eye disorders, today announced the U.S. commercial launch of RYZUMVI (phentolamine ophthalmic solution) by its partner Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS).

Ocuphire has a global license agreement with Viatris to co-develop and commercialize Phentolamine Ophthalmic Solution 0.75%. Under the terms of this agreement, Ocuphire is eligible to receive regulatory and commercial milestones as well as royalties.

For more information, please refer to the announcement on the Viatris corporate website at https://newsroom.viatris.com/.

About Ocuphire Pharma

Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing small-molecule therapies for the treatment of retinal and refractive eye disorders. Phentolamine is currently being developed in clinical trials for a number of refractive eye disorder indications in partnership with Viatris. Ocuphire's lead retinal product candidate, APX3330, is a first-in-class small-molecule inhibitor of Ref-1 (reduction oxidation effector factor-1 protein) in clinical development for diabetic retinopathy. APX3330 is not approved for use by any regulatory health authority in any country.

For more information, please visit www.ocuphire.com

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning our eligibility for milestone payments under our agreement with Viatris. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties posed by many factors and events that could cause our actual business, prospects and results of operations to differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those described under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. We undertake no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that might subsequently arise.

These forward-looking statements are based upon Ocuphire’s current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation:

  • The success and timing of regulatory submissions and pre-clinical and clinical trials, including enrollment and data readouts;
  • Regulatory requirements or developments;
  • Changes to or unanticipated events in connection with clinical trial designs and regulatory pathways;
  • Delays or difficulties in the enrollment of patients in clinical trials;
  • Substantial competition and rapid technological change;
  • Our development of sales and marketing infrastructure;
  • Future revenue losses and profitability;
  • Our relatively short operating history;
  • Changes in capital resource requirements;
  • Risks related to the inability of Ocuphire to obtain sufficient additional capital to continue to advance its product candidates and its preclinical programs;
  • Domestic and worldwide legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments;
  • Employee misconduct;
  • Changes in market opportunities and acceptance;
  • Reliance on third-parties;
  • Future, potential product liability and securities litigation;
  • System failures, unplanned events, or cyber incidents;
  • The substantial number of shares subject to potential issuance associated with our equity line of credit arrangement;
  • Risks that our partnership with Viatris, or our other licensing arrangements, may not facilitate the commercialization or market acceptance of Ocuphire’s product candidates;
  • Future fluctuations in the market price of our common stock;
  • The success and timing of commercialization of any of Ocuphire’s product candidates; and
  • Obtaining and maintaining Ocuphire’s intellectual property rights.

The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by us in this report and in our other reports filed with the SEC that advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Ocuphire undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Contacts

Corporate Investor Relations 
George Magrath, M.D., M.B.A., M.S.
CEO
ir@ocuphire.com  
Corey Davis, Ph.D. 
LifeSci Advisors 
cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com

 


FAQ

What is the ticker symbol for Ocuphire Pharma, Inc.?

The ticker symbol for Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. is OCUP.

What therapy is Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. developing for patients with eye disorders?

Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. is developing novel therapies for the treatment of unmet needs of patients with retinal and refractive eye disorders.

Who is Ocuphire Pharma, Inc.'s partner for the U.S. commercial launch of RYZUMVI™?

Ocuphire Pharma, Inc.'s partner for the U.S. commercial launch of RYZUMVI™ is Viatris Inc.

What is the product being launched in the U.S. by Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. and Viatris Inc.?

The product being launched in the U.S. is RYZUMVI™ (phentolamine ophthalmic solution).

What agreement does Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. have with Viatris Inc.?

Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. has a global license agreement with Viatris Inc. to co-develop and commercialize Phentolamine Ophthalmic Solution 0.75%.

Ocuphire Pharma, Inc.

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About OCUP

ocuphire is a new biopharmaceuticals company focused on developing and commercializing small molecule drugs for unmet medical needs in the ocular disease space. ocuphire’s lead drug candidate, nyxol eye drops, is aimed to treat patients with night vision disturbances (nvd), glaucoma and presbyopia (impaired near-term vision). ocuphire is in discussions with a prospective late stage ophthalmic drug program that could be developed in parallel. ocuphire's management team has over 100 years of drug development expertise across a diverse set of therapeutic areas including ophthalmology, orphan, cardio-metabolic, nephrology, oncology and respiratory.