FDA approves Alcon's Simbrinza

BASEL, Switzerland — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by Alcon, the drug maker said.

Alcon, a subsidiary of Swiss drug maker Novartis, announced the approval of Simbrinza (brinzolamide and brimonidine tartrate) for elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Elevated IOP is the only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma, the company said. Glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million Americans and is the second-leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation and Lighthouse International.

"Alcon is the global leader in providing both pharmaceutical and surgical options for patients living with glaucoma," Alcon U.S. and Canada area president Robert Warner said. "The introduction of Simbrinza further expands our ability to provide effective treatments for patients with elevated IOP."