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Introduction: Lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is, at present, the only therapeutic approach to the treatment of glaucoma. Good compliance is essential in every chronic therapy; therefore, the development of IOP-lowering eye drops that are well tolerated and have an easy administration schedule is essential for the treatment of glaucoma. Prostaglandins are a first-choice drug class for the treatment of glaucoma. Areas covered: This review provides a background on tafluprost, a newly synthesized prostaglandin analogue, and summarizes the existing data on its efficacy and safety, including comparative data with the other prostaglandin derivatives now available on the market. A review of the literature was performed. Expert opinion: Current research focuses not only on the efficacy of the drugs but also on their tolerability. The importance of obtaining good compliance by the patient is increasingly relevant; therefore, new formulations are studied to provide fewer side effects and an easier schedule. Tafluprost is a new prostaglandin analogue that has been marketed in some European countries and in Japan for more than 2 years and was recently (July 2009) approved in 21 countries. Besides a well-demonstrated IOP-lowering effect, tafluprost is the first topical prostaglandin available as a preservative-free formulation. (copyright) 2011 Informa UK, Ltd.
C.E. Traverso. University of Genova, Eye Clinic, Department of Neurosciences, Ophthalmology and Genetics, Viale Benedetto XV, 5, 16148 Genova, Italy. Email: cet@mclink.it
11.4 Prostaglandins (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)
11.14 Investigational drugs; pharmacological experiments (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)