B&L's Besivance OKed by FDA

US ocular specialist Bausch & Lomb says that the Food and Drug Administration has approved Besivance (besifloxacin ophthalmic  suspension) 0.6% for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis, commonly  referred to as "pink eye." Besivance is a new topical ophthalmic  antibacterial, administered via sterile ophthalmic drops, that treats a  wide range of eye pathogens including those that most commonly cause  bacterial conjunctivitis. Bacterial conjunctivitis is one of the most  common ocular conditions worldwide.

In December 2008, an FDA Advisory Committee voted unanimously to  recommend approval of Besivance. The compound is the first  fluoroquinolone specifically developed for ophthalmic use and is the  first and only ophthalmic fluoroquinolone with no previous systemic  utilization. It offers broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, including  activity against the strains that are the most common causes of  bacterial conjunctivitis.