Pfizer Inc and Bausch & Lomb announced a co-promotion agreement involving both companies' prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals in the United States. The agreement will allow both companies to greatly increase the level of eye care industry support for these important medications that treat serious ophthalmic conditions.

The five-year agreement includes Pfizer's Xalatan (latanoprost ophthalmic solution) and Bausch & Lomb's Alrex (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.2%), Lotemax (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.5%) and Zylet (loteprednol etabonate 0.5% and tobramycin 0.3% ophthalmic suspension). The co-promotion agreement also will apply to Bausch & Lomb's investigational anti-infective eye drop, besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 0.6%, which is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Under the terms of the agreement, both the Pfizer and Bausch & Lomb sales forces will promote Xalatan, Alrex, Lotemax, Zylet and besifloxacin (subject to FDA approval).

"Ophthalmic disorders cause significant disability in the United States. This agreement with Bausch & Lomb combines our portfolios and further demonstrates our commitment to provide prescription medications that can benefit people living with serious eye conditions," said Olivier Brandicourt, president and general manager, Pfizer's Specialty Care business unit.

Separate from this co-promotion agreement with Bausch & Lomb, Pfizer will continue to maintain three mid-stage ophthalmic development programmes in its own pipeline.

"Working in collaboration, our US sales organizations will now represent one of the broadest product offerings in the U.S. ophthalmic market," said Flemming Ornskov, M.D., MPH, corporate vice president and global president, Pharmaceuticals, Bausch & Lomb. "We'll be able to reach considerably more eye care practitioners, and in turn, better attend to the needs of millions of patients every year."

In December 2008, the FDA's Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of besifloxacin for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Bausch & Lomb anticipates a decision from the FDA in 2009.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Pfizer Ophthalmics, part of Pfizer's Specialty Care business unit, is committed to preserving sight and eliminating preventable blindness and expanding its portfolio through licensing and partnerships. Pfizer Ophthalmics discovers, develops and provides leading treatments in ophthalmology to support patients who are at risk of blindness or suffering from vision impairment, and to serve the health care professionals who treat them.

Bausch & Lomb is the eye health company dedicated to perfecting vision and enhancing life for people around the world. Its core businesses include contact lenses and lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments, and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals.