Safety and efficacy of ripasudil in Japanese patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension: 12-month interim analysis of ROCK-J, a post-marketing surveillance study

BACKGROUND: Ripasudil is approved in Japan for glaucoma or ocular hypertension (OH) when other treatments are ineffective or cannot be administered. Its long-term safety and efficacy are being examined in a post-marketing surveillance study; 12-month data are described here. METHODS: This prospective, open-label, observational study enrolled patients with glaucoma or OH who started ripasudil during routine care. The key safety outcome was the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), focusing on allergy and/or inflammation-related ADRs such as blepharitis (including allergic) or conjunctivitis (including allergic). The primary efficacy endpoint was least squares mean (LSM) ± standard error (SE) change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from baseline to 12 months in all patients and in diagnostic groups. Secondary endpoints were change in IOP in groups stratified by treatment initiation pattern, number of concomitant drugs, and baseline IOP. RESULTS: Overall, 3359 patients (48% male, mean age ± standard deviation [SD] 69.1 ± 12.7 years) were evaluated for safety and 3323 for efficacy. Diagnoses were primary open-angle glaucoma (43.9%), normal-tension glaucoma (36.6%), secondary glaucoma (8.7%), OH (4.2%), and primary closed-angle glaucoma (2.4%). Mean ± SD observation period was 300.1 ± 122.4 days; 1010 patients (30.1%) discontinued ripasudil by 12 months. ADRs occurred in 626 patients (18.6%); the most common were conjunctival hyperemia and blepharitis. Allergy and/or inflammation-related ADRs occurred in 388 patients (11.6%), most commonly blepharitis (5.6%) and conjunctivitis (4.2%). IOP decreased significantly from a mean ± SD 18.1 ± 6.1 mmHg at baseline; the LSM ± SE IOP change throughout 12 months of ripasudil treatment was − 2.6 ± 0.1 mmHg (− 14.0 ± 0.4%; p < 0.001). A significant decrease in IOP at 12 months was seen in all categories of baseline IOP (p < 0.001), and all types of glaucoma (p < 0.001), except neovascular glaucoma. Ripasudil was associated with a significant reduction in IOP at 12 months whether initiated as monotherapy or in combination with ≤4 concomitant glaucoma therapies (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ripasudil was safe and effective in patients with glaucoma or OH during routine care. No new safety signals were identified, and significant reductions in IOP were maintained over 12 months.