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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

RPT-New wave of drugs poised to shake up glaucoma treatment, (NYSE: AGN), (NYSE: NVS), (NYSE: VRX), (TSE: VRX.TO)

For the first time in 20 years, patients suffering from the eye disease glaucoma may soon have new treatments as several young companies look to shake up the $5.6 billion global marketThere is no cure for glaucoma, which damages the optic nerve and is expected to affect more than 4 million Americans by 2030, up from 2.7 million today. But treatments help patients manage the disease and may prevent the onset of blindness.The new treatments promise to improve outcomes and reduce side-effects associated with current medicines, exploiting a long dearth of innovative new products for the disease. No new class of medicine has been introduced since Pfizer Inc's N> Xalatan, known generically as latanoprost, in 1996.The newcomers aim to disrupt market-leaders Alcon, a division of Novartis AG, Allergan Inc, Pfizer and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc.

Allergan, Inc. is a multi-specialty health care Company focused on developing and commercializing pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices and over-the-counter products. Shares of AGN fell by 0.91% or $-2.06/share to $223.11. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $115.94 and as high as $228.43. On average, 2758590 shares of AGN exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 1876556.

Novartis AG provides healthcare solutions. The Company is a multinational group of companies specializing in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of a range of healthcare products led by pharmaceuticals. Shares of NVS traded higher by 3.76% or $3.71/share to $102.46. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $80.10 and as high as $103.50. On average, 1887630 shares of NVS exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 4349667.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., formerly Biovail Corporation, is a multinational, specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets a range of pharmaceutical products. Shares of VRX fell by 1.17% or $-1.89/share to $160.10. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $106.00 and as high as $165.69. On average, 2114130 shares of VRX exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 2506030.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., formerly Biovail Corporation, is a multinational, specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets a range of pharmaceutical products. Shares of VRX fell by 1.74% or $-3.54/share to $199.37. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $116.01 and as high as $205.98. On average, 432892 shares of VRX.TO exchange hands on a given day and today's volume is recorded at 274086.



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