EyePoint Pharmaceuticals sells YUTIQ® to Alimera Sciences, Inc. for $82.5 million (USD) plus royalties

The sale of YUTIQ® will empower EyePoint Pharmaceuticals to continue to advance its pipeline of therapeutics through the company's upcoming clinical trials. (Image Credit: Adobe Stock/Kiattisak)

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of YUTIQ® (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant) 0.18mg to Alimera Sciences, Inc. (“Alimera”). YUTIQ is a treatment for chronic non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye.

Under the terms of the agreement, Alimera will receive global rights to YUTIQ outside of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Southeast Asia, where YUTIQ is exclusively licensed to Ocumension Therapeutics (“Ocumension”), and EyePoint will continue to receive royalties from Ocumension for its YUTIQ sales. In exchange for the rights granted to Alimera under the agreement, EyePoint received a $75 million up-front cash payment at closing and will receive an additional $7.5 million in equal quarterly installments in 2024. In addition, commencing in 2025, EyePoint will receive a low to mid double-digit royalty on Alimera’s related U.S. net sales above defined thresholds for the calendar years 2025-2028.

“This transaction completes EyePoint’s transformation into a pure play drug development company focused on advancing and expanding a pipeline of sustained delivery treatments for serious eye diseases, including our lead product candidate EYP-1901, currently in Phase 2 trials in wet age-related macular degeneration and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy,” said Nancy Lurker, Chief Executive Officer of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals. “This value-creating transaction has enabled EyePoint to pay off all outstanding bank debt at closing, reduce our projected SG&A spending and extend our cash runway into 2025 as we prepare for the potential Phase 3 pivotal trials for EYP-1901.”

Ms. Lurker continued, “The EyePoint commercial organization has laid a strong foundation for YUTIQ, including 60% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 of this year, and we are incredibly grateful for their exceptional execution and dedication to bringing this product to patients. Alimera is ideally positioned to deliver continued access to YUTIQ as they currently commercialize ILUVIEN® for the treatment of uveitis in various international markets and for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) in the U.S. and internationally.”

YUTIQ’s consistently positive feedback from patients and healthcare providers is underscored by its well-established and clinically meaningful efficacy and safety. EyePoint and Alimera are committed to ensuring that patients receive uninterrupted access to YUTIQ throughout the transition of YUTIQ sales, marketing and other responsibilities to Alimera.