Bausch + Lomb reports that one of its affiliates has acquired Whitecap Biosciences, a drug maker with novel therapies currently in development for potential use in glaucoma and geographic atrophy. 

“Glaucoma and geographic atrophy are two areas where we believe that dramatic improvement is possible,” said Yehia Hashad, MD, Bausch + Lomb's chief medical officer and executive vice president for research and development, in a company press release. “Whitecap Biosciences’s investigational medicines show real promise when it comes to slowing vision loss and perhaps even improving vision for patients with glaucoma, which would be a long-overdue breakthrough.” 

Whitecap Biosciences successfully completed phase 2 clinical trials for WB007, a highly potent alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, for an indication of vision improvement in patients with glaucoma. The company is also planning a clinical program for both WB007 and WB006 for geographic atrophy. 

B + L noted that the acquisition strengthens its expanding clinical-stage pipeline.