WASHINGTON, May 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug Besivance for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis, a contagious eye condition.
The FDA said Besivance (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6 percent) is meant to treat the condition that is marked by irritation of the eyes and a discharge from the mucous membranes.
"Bacterial conjunctivitis is a common condition that affects people of all ages," said Dr. Wiley Chambers, acting director of the FDA's Division of Anti-Infective and Ophthalmology Products. "It is important to have a variety of treatment options available to healthcare professionals and patients because an effective drug therapy can reduce the duration of the illness and reduce the chances of infecting others."
Symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis can include red eyes, swelling, eyelids sticking together, itching, watering and a white or yellow sticky discharge from the eyes, the FDA said.
The federal agency said patients using the drug in clinical trials had a faster rate of resolution of the infection than those treated with a solution containing only a preservative. The drug was shown to be effective in treating patients age one year and older.
Besivance is manufactured by Bausch & Lomb Inc. of Rochester, N.Y.
