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  2. Santen launches Puralid® Lipogel, a protecting and soothing gel for eyelids that provides lasting relief from the distress of blepharitis

Santen launches Puralid® Lipogel, a protecting and soothing gel for eyelids that provides lasting relief from the distress of blepharitis

Wed 31 March 2021

News for healthcare professionals (excluding UK & Ireland)

Santen launches Puralid® Lipogel, an ophthalmic gel for blepharitis that soothes and cleanses the eyelids and periocular area.1 A recent survey commissioned by Santen of blepharitis patients across three European countries revealed that current treatments are not providing full relief for some of the most severe and frequent symptoms experienced – including dry eyes and red, itchy and irritated eyelids.2 Puralid Lipogel offers ophthalmologists a new option that works hard to cleanse and calm irritated eyelids, providing relief in the form of a gentle gel.1

Blepharitis is a chronic and lifelong condition characterised by a cycle of exacerbations and remissions for the majority of patients.3 It causes painful, red, swollen, greasy, itchy eyelids with a gritty ‘foreign object sensation’ and crusting of the eyelid margin.4,5,6 Despite these recognisable symptoms, familiarity with the term ‘blepharitis’ differs across Europe, with almost half (42%) of patients surveyed admitting they had never heard of blepharitis before their diagnosis.2 However, for ophthalmologists blepharitis is common across clinical practices.3,4,5,7 If untreated it can lead to troubling problems such as dry eyes, cysts and conjunctivitis.5,6,8 A recognised initial step in treating patients with blepharitis is to recommend eyelid cleansing.5

“Blepharitis is a common and symptomatic disease and it has no established cure. It’s therefore crucial that we recognise that this condition needs a careful diagnostic approach and personalised management, and that we continue to educate patients on the value of lid hygiene, such as using warm compresses and cleansing the eyelids daily,” said Professor Edoardo Villani, University of Milan, Italy. “However, we know that some patients struggle with current hygiene options and that even mild forms of blepharitis will only be successfully managed if patients persevere.”

Our survey surprisingly revealed that only 17% of people were fully satisfied with their blepharitis treatment. The application was either inconvenient or irritating to the eyes, among other reasons.2 Puralid Lipogel is an easy-to-apply gel for the relief of acute flares (aggravated symptoms) and long-term maintenance (asymptomatic symptoms) of blepharitis.1 It contains liposomes, which are known for their soothing, relieving and emollient properties, as well as their ability to facilitate the bioavailability of substances.1,9 Other ingredients include tea tree oil, vitamin A, xanthan gum, ferulic acid, vitamin E TPGS* and alfa bisabolol.1

“Blepharitis can be sore, troublesome, uncomfortable and irritating for people so it can have a serious negative impact on quality of life. Our survey demonstrated that blepharitis interferes with daily activities and can prevent reading and normal use of a computer or phone,” said Luis Iglesias, President and Head of Santen EMEA. “With blepharitis impacting how people can use screens plus digital device usage increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope to reaffirm our commitment to eye care with the launch of Puralid Lipogel.”

Puralid Lipogel has been launched to date in Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, with further launches expected across Europe in the coming months.

*D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, a non-ionic surfactant with emulsifying, dispersing, gelling, and solubilising properties10

References:
1.    Puralid Lipogel. Instructions for use. April 2020.
2.    Data on file. Santen 2020 blepharitis patient research. The research was conducted by Research Excellence, with a total sample size of 91 patients (across Germany, Italy and Spain), aged 18+, who were suffering / had suffered from blepharitis at least once in the past 12 months. Online survey conducted between 26.11.2020 and 04.12.2020.
3.    Duncan K and Jeng BH. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2015; 26(4): 289-294.
4.    Pflugfelder S et al. Ocul Surf 2014; 12(4): 273-284. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2014.05.005. 
5.    Amescua G et al. Ophthalmology 2019; 26(1): P56-P93. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha. 2018.10.019.
6.    Liu J, Sheha H, Tseng SC. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2010; 10(5): 505‐510. doi:10.1097/ACI.0b013e32833df9f4
7.    Nijm LM. Blepharitis. In Ocular Surface Disease: Cornea, Conjunctiva and Tear Film, 2013. Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/blepharitis  Accessed February 2021.
8.    Putnam CM. Clin Optometry 2016; 8: 71-78.
9.    Puralid Lipogel. Technical file. Rev 3. 
10.    Guo Y et al. Eur J Pharm Sci 2013; 49(2): 175-186. 

Document number: NP-PURALG-EMEA-0004 
Date of preparation: March 2021