Bausch & Lomb Tampa manufacturing new FDA-approved medication

Bausch & Lomb’s Tampa facility is manufacturing a new treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis, the condition commonly known as pink eye.

The company said Friday that the topical medication, called Besivance, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Bausch & Lomb purchased the original compounds of the medication in 2004 and has handled clinical testing since then, said Mike McDougall, VP of corporate communications and public affairs at Bausch & Lomb. Research and development has taken place both in Tampa and at the company’s headquarters in Rochester, N.Y.

An FDA Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of Besivance in December 2008. The approval follows a series of eight clinical trials, a release said.

Besivance will be part of a co-promotional deal between Bausch & Lomb and Pfizer Inc. , McDougall said. It is expected to be available at pharmacies by prescription in June.

Source : www.bizjournals.com