LEADING OFF

TIPS, TRENDS & NEWS YOU CAN USE

ALLERGAN AND PFIZER TO JOIN FORCES

As we go to press, Allergan and Pfizer have entered into a definitive agreement under which Pfizer will merge with Allergan. The combined company will be known as Pfizer plc. Under the agreement, Pfizer will combine with Allergan in a stock transaction currently valued at $363.63 per Allergan share, for a total enterprise value of approximately $160 billion based on the closing price of Pfizer common stock of $32.18 (Nov. 20, 2015).

“The combination of Pfizer and Allergan will create a new biopharmaceutical leader with leading therapeutic categories, including eye care,” explains Allergan’s CEO, Brent Saunders, who will become the new company’s president and COO, and thus, oversee Pfizer plc’s commercial business, manufacturing and strategy functions. “By combining with Pfizer, we will have an even greater impact on the eye care community by expanding our product offering into more markets globally and having enhanced resources to discover and develop new treatments.”

Pfizer’s Ophthalmology External Research Unit, complements Allergan’s established treatments for dry eye disease, ocular allergy, post-surgical healing, macular edema post-retinal vein occlusion, uveitis, diabetic macular edema, bacterial conjunctivitis and redness, irritation and swelling from inflammation of the eye. The combined company would include five anti-glaucoma drugs.

In addition, it would have no less than 17 mid-to-late stage development opportunities in eye care, including Tripligan (MMT Ocular hypertension and glaucoma) and cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion (Restasis in a Multi-Dose Preservative-Free bottle).

JOINT BENEFITS

The merger benefits Pfizer in that Allergan can enhance Pfizer’s R&D capabilities in product line extensions, molecular entities, manufacturing and distribution capabilities, according to a press release about the merger.

“The proposed combination of Pfizer and Allergan will create a leading global pharmaceutical company with the strength to research, discover and deliver more medicines and therapies to more people around the world,” stated Pfizer’s, chairman and CEO Ian Read, in a press release.

NEW COMPANY STRUCTURE

In addition to Mr. Saunders’ move, Pfizer plc’s board will have 15 directors (11 from Pfizer and four from Allergan), and Mr. Read’s post remains.

LOOKING AHEAD

The transaction, expected complete in the second half of 2016, is contingent on the receipt of regulatory approval in places, including the United States and European Union, Allergan and Pfizer shareholder approval and the completion of Allergan’s divesting of its generics business to Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which is expected in the first quarter of 2016

Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company is expected to maintain Allergan’s Irish legal domicile. Pfizer plc will have its global operational headquarters in New York and its principal executive offices in Ireland. ■

ROLE OF OPTOMETRIST IN PATIENTS WHO HAVE HIV/AIDS EXPLAINED

Optometrists can play a significant role in the diagnosis and care of patients who have systemic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. The 27th annual World AIDS day, which occurred Dec. 1, provides an opportunity to review the O.D.’s role in these patients’ care.

“We [optometrists] may be the first health care providers to suspect or diagnose AIDS,” says optometrist Joseph J. Pizzimenti, attending optometric physician at The Eye Care Institute of Nova Southeastern University.

The most frequent ocular complications and associations of HIV/AIDS: progressive outer retinal necrosis, molluscum contagiosum, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, pneumocystis jiroveci, mycobacterium tuberculosis, neoplasm (kaposi sarcoma), keratoconjunctivitis sicca, HIV-related retinal microangiopathy, cytomegalovirus, immune recovery uveitis, acute retinal necrosis and optic neuropathy, explains Dr. Pizzimenti.

“Approximately 80% of HIV-infected patients will be treated for an HIV-associated eye disorder,” Dr. Pizzimenti says. “These patients should undergo regular optometric evaluations. With early stage HIV, ocular syndromes are uncommon. Nonetheless, ocular infections associated with sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis, may be more frequent in patients with HIV; therefore, clinicians should screen for HIV in the presence of these infections.”

He continued, “It is important to note, however, that patients must provide informed consent for HIV testing.”

Because of the transmission possibilities of the disease, infection control practices, such as cleaning, disinfection, sterilization and the wearing of gloves are paramount, explains Dr. Pizzimenti ■

GPLI SECURES FUNDING FOR 2016

In September, two of the largest GP material suppliers terminated their membership in the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA). Because the raw material suppliers that belong to the CLMA return a portion of their sales to fund the educational programs of the GP Lens Institute (GPLI), the departure of these two companies threatened short-term program funding.

Prior to the Annual CLMA meeting, a pre-meeting survey was sent to CLMA members to gauge opinions on how best to move forward. Survey results were discussed in a town hall meeting where members overwhelmingly expressed a continued commitment to the educational goals of the CLMA and pledged to support the remaining CLMA material suppliers for 2016 at a level consistent with recent years, which will make those goals attainable. Members voted unanimously to increase their collected pass-through amount from raw materials for the upcoming 2016 fiscal year. Additionally, 17 member companies have made pledges of $7,500 each to support the educational efforts of the GPLI.

According to Jan Svochak, president of the CLMA, because of the support of member companies of the CLMA, educational programs are secure for 2016 and beyond.

As the educational division of the CLMA, the GPLI has a 30-year history of providing educational and practice-building tools and programs focused on custom lens prescribing. The GPLI is responsible for developing and maintaining an extensive library of specialty lens resources, including monthly online webinars, a comprehensive series of interactive fitting tools at gpli.info, frequent hands-on specialty contact lens fitting workshops and CE programs and a bimonthly newsletter, among other endeavors. ■

POP QUIZ

GET READY TO GRADE HOW YOUR PRACTICE FARES IN PROVIDING WELLNESS

WELLNESS No. 12

1 WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR PATIENTS DO YOU DISCUSS WELLNESS WITH ON A DAILY BASIS?

A) >50% (5 points)

B) 26% to 50% (3 points)

C) 11% to 25% (1 point)

2 DO YOU SELL NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS IN YOUR OFFICE?

A) Yes (5 points)

B) No

3 DO YOU ASK MORE THAN 50% OF YOUR PATIENTS HOW THEIR EYES FEEL OR LOOK TO THEM?

A) Yes (5 points)

B) No

4 HAVE YOU HAD A STAFF MEETING IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ON PERSONAL WELLNESS TRAINING?

A) Yes (5 points)

B) No

5 DO YOU WORK OUT AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK AND GET AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL?

A) Yes (3 points)

B) No

ANSWER KEY

18-23 points
You are doing great, and wellness is a prominent part of your practice strategy.

13-17 points
You are doing better than most, but consider changing your scripts or products you sell.

8-12 points
You have taken the first few steps, but consider adding some of the ideas discussed in the questions above.

<7 points
You need to do some work to catch up with most practices.