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  2. Santen Launches Ryjunea in Germany for the Treatment of Paediatric Myopia

Santen Launches Ryjunea in Germany for the Treatment of Paediatric Myopia

Tue 22 July 2025

  • Germany leads the way as the first country to launch Ryjunea®  
  • Ryjunea® is the first European Commission-approved medicinal product to slow myopia progression in children2
  • Now available to eye specialists in Germany, offering an option for early intervention in children with progressive myopia

Paediatric myopia, or short-sightedness, is on the rise globally, with increasing screen time and reduced time spent outdoors contributing to worsening vision in young people.3-6 Myopia progression is typically fastest in younger children, so treatment is needed as early as possible to slow this progression and to reduce the risk of serious eye health complications later in life.7-9 Parents and paediatricians can play an important role in identifying the issue early.10 At the same time, ophthalmologists can intervene to proactively control myopia, helping to reduce myopia risks and support children’s overall social and physical well-being.

“Children with myopia often face day-to-day challenges, such as difficulty seeing the board in class or participating in sports, which can affect their confidence and academic performance," said Professor Alireza Mirshahi at the Dardenne clinic in Bonn, Germany. “Recognizing myopia early is therefore important to support their vision long-term.”

Low-dose atropine eyedrops have been shown in clinical studies to be effective in slowing myopia progression.11-12 Still, to date, patients have been dependent on compounded formulations.11,13 Ryjunea® is the first EU-approved medicinal treatment that gives eye specialists a new option to slow down myopia progression and help protect children’s vision for the future.1

“This launch represents a meaningful step towards our mission to protect children’s eye health,” said Jörg Trampenau, General Manager Germany, Santen. “We are committed to working alongside ophthalmologists in Germany to raise awareness, expand access, and improve outcomes for children affected by myopia.”

With more than 130 years’ experience in eye health, Santen will continue to work with healthcare professionals, patient organizations, and policymakers to address the growing burden of childhood myopia. The launch of Ryjunea® strengthens Santen’s dedication to early intervention and better outcomes in paediatric eye care.

References 

  1. Ryjunea® SmPC, June 2025: Union Register of medicinal products - Public health - European Commission
  2. Ryjunea®EMA CHMP Opinion, April 2025: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/ryjunea.
  3. Jones LA, et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007;48:3524–3532.
  4. Ip JM, et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008;49:2903–2910.
  5. Holden BA, et al. Ophthalmology. 2016;123:1036–1042.
  6. Liang J, et al. Br J Ophthalmol. 2024:bjo–2024–325427
  7. Tricard D, et al. Br J Ophthalmol. 2022;106:1104-1109.
  8. Hohberger, A., et al. Frontiers in Medicine. 11 (2024): 1483069.
  9. Karuppiah, V et al. Singapore Med J. 62 (2021): 63-68
  10. Qian, Y., & Lu, P. Ophthalmology and Therapy. 2024: 13:12:3095-3109.
  11. Tsai HR, et al. J Clin Med. 2021;10:3766.
  12. Lee SH, et al. J Clin Med. 2024;13:1506
  13. Morgan IG et al, Lancet. 2012;379(9827):1739-48.

About Ryjunea® 

Ryjunea® is a registered trademark of Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, approved by the European Commission. Ryjunea® is indicated for slowing the progression of myopia in paediatric patients. Treatment may be initiated in children aged 3-14 years with a progression rate of 0.5 D or more per year and a severity of -0.5 D to -6.0 D. It is backed by the Phase III STAR study, showing that Ryjunea® significantly reduced the annual progression of myopia with a favourable safety and tolerability profile. As a low-dose atropine eye drop, administered once daily at bedtime, it provides a convenient way to manage myopia that integrates easily into a child’s routine. The product is licensed from Sydnexis Inc. to Santen’s Switzerland-based affiliate, Santen SA, for registration and commercialization across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). It has received market authorization from the European Commission on June 2.

About Santen 

As a specialized company dedicated to eye health, Santen aspires to contribute to the realization of “Happiness with Vision” by providing products and services to patients, consumers, and medical professionals around the world. Since its establishment, and guided by its CORE PRINCIPLE, “Tenki ni sanyo suru,” Santen has been committed to helping people maintain and improve their eye health for more than 130 years. Santen is engaged in global research and development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products in the field of eye care, supporting the eye health of approximately 50 million people in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide. Santen’s mission is to provide essential and significant value to patients and society in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of eye diseases through products and services created from its expertise in the ophthalmology field and from the patient's perspective. To create a future in which as many patients as possible can lead happy and fulfilling lives, Santen is committed to doing its utmost to realize a society in which people around the world can experience “Happiness with Vision.”

For more information, please visit www.santen.com 

Media Contact 

For Japan: 
Corporate Communications Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. 
E-mail: communication@santen.com 

For Europe: 
Sirku Eckel, Associate Director, Communications EMEA 
E-mail: sirku.eckel@santen.com