Abstracts from the North American Rhinology & Allergy Conference, February 3, 2011, Puerto Rico

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Allergy and Immunology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis causes significant ocular itching and redness.
• Bepotastine besilate ophthalmic solution 1.5% is a dual-acting histamine H1 receptor antagonist.
• Existing treatments aim to alleviate symptoms associated with allergic conjunctivitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of bepotastine besilate ophthalmic solution 1.5% versus placebo.
• To assess symptom relief for ocular itching and redness in active allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
• To confirm the clinical effectiveness in a natural exposure setting.

Main Methods:

• Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled natural exposure study.
• 1.5% bepotastine besilate ophthalmic solution or placebo administered twice daily (BID) for 14 days.
• Subjects (N=245, age ≥12) recorded instantaneous ocular symptom severity.

Main Results:

• Bepotastine 1.5% showed statistically significant reduction in ocular itching (p=0.007) and redness (p=0.001) versus placebo.
• Investigator efficacy ratings were superior for bepotastine 1.5% (p=0.024).
• Adverse events were minimal, with only one discontinuation due to an adverse event.

Conclusions:

• Bepotastine 1.5% ophthalmic solution is an effective treatment for allergen-induced ocular symptoms.
• The study results support its use in managing allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
• The findings closely mimic real-world patient conditions requiring treatment.