title: Efficacy and safety of tafluprost 0.0015% and timolol maleate 0.5% fixed combination in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is at present the only therapeutic approach to the treatment of glaucoma proven to be successful. The choice of therapy must take into account efficacy, tolerability, safety, quality of life, adherence and cost. Monotherapy fails to achieve a satisfactory IOP reduction in 40 - 75% of glaucoma patients after > 2 years of therapy. So far, three prostaglandin/timolol maleate 0.5% fixed combinations (FCs) are available.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review provides a background on the tafluprost-timolol FC (TTFC, Santen Oy) and its individual compounds. It summarizes the data on efficacy and safety, including comparative data with prostaglandin/timolol FCs already available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tafluprost is a preservative-free prostaglandin analog with a similar IOP efficacy when compared with other prostaglandin analogs. However, its improved adverse effect profile seems to be beneficial in patients sensitive to preservatives. The preservative-free TTFC has no market authorization yet. Only one Phase III trial was published so far, but results are promising in terms of efficacy, tolerability and safety. It is likely that the TTFC will play a role in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz University Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology , Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz , Germany +49 6131 174069 ; +49 6131 1747 4069 ; katrin.lorenz@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013999:Timolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D011460:Prostaglandins F; C485333:tafluprost; D013999:Timolol
keywords: efficacy; glaucoma; intraocular pressure; ocular hypertension; safety; tafluprost; timolol maleate