Santen Launches SETANEO Ophthalmic Solution 0.002% in Japan for the Treatment of Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension
October 23, 2025 – Drug Delivery, Other, Pharmaceutical – Santen, glaucoma, ocular hypertension, ophthalmology
23 October 2025 — Osaka, Japan — Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd announced today that it launched SETANEO Ophthalmic Solution 0.002% (generic name: sepetaprost; hereafter the product) in Japan, for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension. The product contains 0.002% sepetaprost, a bicyclic prostaglandin derivative, which binds to and stimulates FP and EP3 receptors, promoting aqueous humor outflow and thereby lowering intraocular pressure (IOP). Based on the results of a Phase III clinical trial conducted in Japan, Santen submitted a manufacturing and marketing authorization application in September 2024 and obtained approval in August 2025 for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
In the treatment of glaucoma, when monotherapy with an IOP-lowering ophthalmic solution is insufficient, combination therapy (including fixed-dose combinations) is considered. However, multiple medications may increase the risk of adverse effects and decrease patient adherence and quality of life (QOL) due to increased dosing frequency. Accordingly, the emergence of a powerful IOP-lowering agent with a novel mechanism of action is highly anticipated. Santen will provide a new treatment option for patients with glaucoma through the launch of this product, which stimulates both FP and EP3 receptors with a single active ingredient.
Ippei Kurihara, Director of the Board, Head of Japan Business, Business Development at Santen, commented: “We are very pleased to launch SETANEO Ophthalmic Solution 0.002% in Japan. We believe this product has the potential to become a new first-line treatment for glaucoma, expanding the range of therapeutic options and enabling more personalized care for each patient.”
As a specialized company dedicated to ophthalmology, Santen seeks to contribute to the improved QOL of glaucoma patients in Japan by providing new treatment options to the medical community.
Product Overview of SETANEO Ophthalmic Solution 0.002%
Product name: SETANEO Ophthalmic Solution 0.002%
Active ingredient: Sepetaprost
Dosage form: Limpid and colorless, sterile aqueous ophthalmic solution
Indications: Glaucoma and ocular hypertension
Dosage: One drop at a time, once daily
Storage: Room temperature
Packaging: 2.5 mL/bottle, plastic eye dropper bottles x 10
National Health Insurance price: 0.002% 1mL 800.00 yen
Date of approval: August 25, 2025
Date of NHI price listing: October 22, 2025
Date of launch: October 23, 2025
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 the 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 Santen’s website https://www.santen.com/en.
