Aptar Pharma, a global solution provider of innovative and proven aerosol, injection and spray delivery systems for biotech, healthcare and pharma products, has partnered with a leading eye care company to develop and launch a new eye drop product, which uses Aptar Pharma's innovative preservative free multi-dose Ophthalmic Squeeze Dispenser (OSD). This is the first preservative free multi-dose eye drop featuring Aptar Pharma's OSD in the United States.

Following the worldwide trend towards safe, patient-friendly, cost-effective and preservative free multi-dose dispensers such as Aptar Pharma's OSD system, the new over-the-counter (OTC) eye care product is able to maintain its status as the gold standard in lubricant eye drops.

The first over-the-counter product marketed with OSD in the United States
The newly released over-the-counter eye drop product relieves dry, red, itchy eyes by providing preservative free eye drops in a revolutionary multi-dose bottle. Aptar Pharma has worked closely with a leading eye care company to improve patient safety, achieve dosing accuracy and maintain product integrity. The proprietary, sterile, lubricant eye drop formulation, contains 10 ml of solution, equivalent to more than 250 drops and claims to remain sterile for up to three months after first use. It is being supported by extensive television advertising and is available nationwide in pharmacies, supermarkets, and other retailers.

Meeting the needs of patients and consumers

Dry eye patients and consumers use lubricant eye drops on a regular basis, and often for the rest of their lives. It is well proven that preserved medications may cause unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects.

Consequently, removing preservatives from the formulation by using Aptar Pharma’s OSD system is appreciated by the increasing number of patients and consumers experiencing eye irritation or allergic responses with preserved formulations.

Key benefits of Aptar Pharma’s OSD technology platform

Aptar Pharma’s OSD system is the result of more than 10 years of development for the delivery of preservative free ophthalmic solutions. European patients and consumers have benefited from this technology for years with more than 70 commercial references available on the market.

For the newly released over-the-counter product, Aptar Pharma’s OSD system delivers the following features:

• Unrivalled microbiological safety
• Intrinsic intuitiveness of a squeezable container
• User friendliness for all age groups due to a low actuation force
• Precise and reproducible drop ejection
• Ergonomic and pocket size design

"The launch of Aptar Pharma’s OSD system in the United States is a welcome event for patients suffering from eye irritations as it offers them significant benefits compared with standard therapy. This is also a very important milestone for Aptar Pharma in its international development strategy," said Matthias Birkhoff, Vice President Business Development for Aptar Pharma’s Consumer Health Care Division.