Demodex mite

The phase 2b/3 study of Tarsus Pharmaceuticals’ lotilaner 0.25% ophthalmic solution has shown it to be safe and effective in treating Demodex blepharitis, reported researchers. 

The US-based Virginia Eye Consultants study team recruited 421 patients to randomly receive lotilaner 0.25% or vehicle alone, with both eyes treated twice daily for 43 days. The degree of efficacy was evaluated partly using collarettes, the cylindrical dandruff fragments characteristic of Demodex blepharitis. Treatment versus control results showed significantly higher, clinically meaningful collarette cure of 81.3% vs 23.0%, complete collarette cure (grade 0 or 1) of 44.0% vs 7.4%, mite eradication of 67.9% vs 17.6%, erythema cure of 19.1% vs 6.9% and composite cure (grade 0 for collarettes/erythema) of 13.9% vs 1.0% (P< 0.0001 for all comparisons). 

The drops were considered “neutral to very comfortable” by about 92% of patients, reported the team, with pain at the instillation site being the most common complaint.