Everest Medicines Enters into Agreement with Corxel Pharmaceuticals to Develop and Commercialise LNZ100
Monday, June 08, 2026
Everest Medicines has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Corxel Pharmaceuticals to acquire the rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise LNZ100 in Greater China, including mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan.
Under the agreement, Everest will make an upfront payment along with potential development milestone payments. The company will also assume the rights and obligations linked to the existing licensing agreement for LNZ100. The acquisition strengthens Everest’s ophthalmology portfolio and supports its strategy to expand innovative treatment options in the region.
LNZ100 is a once-daily prescription eye drop developed for the treatment of presbyopia, an age-related condition that affects the ability to focus on nearby objects. The treatment contains aceclidine, a small-molecule acetylcholine receptor agonist that works by constricting the pupil, creating a pinhole effect that improves near vision while helping to preserve distance vision.
The therapy received approval in the United States in July 2025 and was launched commercially later that year under the brand name VIZZ. In China, a New Drug Application was submitted in September 2025, with regulatory approval expected during the first quarter of 2027.
Presbyopia is a common condition associated with ageing and is caused by the gradual hardening of the eye’s lens. Studies indicate that symptoms typically begin around the age of 38 and affect almost all individuals by their early fifties in China. Current treatment options remain limited, with many patients relying on reading glasses or surgical procedures.
The Chinese New Drug Application is supported by data from a Phase III multicentre, randomised, double-blind and vehicle-controlled clinical trial involving 300 participants. The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of LNZ100 in Chinese patients with presbyopia through a four-week efficacy period followed by a six-month safety extension.
Results showed that the treatment met its primary and key secondary endpoints. Significant improvements in near vision were achieved while maintaining distance visual acuity.
Clinical findings demonstrated a rapid onset of action, with 84% of participants achieving at least a two-line improvement in near vision and 69% achieving a three-line improvement within 30 minutes of treatment. After three hours, 88% and 74% of participants achieved two-line and three-line improvements respectively. Benefits were also maintained for up to 10 hours in a substantial proportion of patients.
LNZ100 was generally well tolerated, and no serious treatment-related adverse events were reported during the study.
The proceeds from the agreement are expected to support the global clinical development of its cardiometabolic programmes.
Source: everestmedicines.com
