Nicox Announces NCX 470 NDA Submission in China by Partner Ocumension
- Ocumension has submitted the New Drug Application (NDA) to the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for NCX 470 to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension
- Same data package as for the recent submission in the U.S.
- Ocumension already has an ophthalmology sales force throughout China
- Multiple NCX 470 clinical, approval and launch milestone events expected over the next 12 to 18 months
August 10, 2026 – release at 7:30 am CET CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT
Sophia Antipolis, France
Nicox SA (Euronext Growth Paris: FR0013018124, ALCOX), an international ophthalmology company, today announced that its exclusive licensee in China, Ocumension Therapeutics, has submitted the New Drug Application (NDA) for NCX 470 as a treatment to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension to the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The NDA includes the Phase 3 program of both the Mont Blanc trial, and the Denali trial, which specifically included Chinese clinical sites, allowing the program to complete the clinical requirements for approval in China, the same data as recently submitted to the U.S. FDA. Ocumension has already successfully obtained approval for a number of ophthalmology products in China.
“Nicox and Ocumension have been successfully collaborating since 2018 when we signed the first of multiple licensing deals between the two companies. Ocumension was a newly-incorporated company at that time and we are pleased to see that the confidence shown by both sides has been borne out with this next step on the way to the commercialisation of NCX 470 in China. Our second NCX 470 Phase 3 clinical trial, Denali, was conducted with a number of Chinese sites, in cooperation with Ocumension, allowing this submission to be made based on the same dossier as used for the United States.” said Gavin Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of Nicox. “NDAs for NCX 470 have now been submitted in two major territories, the United States and China, and Phase 3 trials to support a regulatory submission in Japan have been underway since summer 2025. NCX 470 is on the way to multiple approvals and launches over the next 12 to 24 months.”
“The working relationship between the Nicox and Ocumension teams has now been well established over several years, allowing us to proceed swiftly with the Chinese filing for NCX 470 after the documentation was available for the United States. Our established commercial operation in China, which already markets Nicox’s ZERVIATE, is well-placed to launch this novel glaucoma treatment shortly after approval. In addition to being a key partner to Nicox, we are also pleased to have been able to support them as a shareholder and look forward to continuing to work together as we bring NCX 470 to the Chinese market.” said Victor Liu, Chief Executive Officer of Ocumension.
Ocumension has paid Nicox license fees of €18 million for the rights to develop and commercialise NCX 470 in the Chinese, Korean and Southeast Asian markets, contributed 50% of the Denali clinical trial costs and is one of Nicox’s principal shareholders. Nicox will receive tiered royalties on sales of NCX 470 made by Ocumension ranging from 6% to 12%. Ocumension already has an ophthalmology sales force in place throughout China and is therefore well-positioned for a rapid launch of NCX 470.
There is no fixed period for approval of a pharmaceutical product in China, however these are frequently granted in 12 to 18 months following submission. The approval of NCX 470 in China is expected after the approval in the US, where Nicox’s partner Kowa recently submitted an NDA.
Key Upcoming NCX 470 Milestones
- NDA approval in the United States: Expected in summer 2027, based on a standard 12-month review period
- Phase 3 clinical program in Japan: initiated summer 2025
- U.S. Launch: expected in H2 2027
- NDA approval in China: Submission made in August 2026
Nicox, headquartered in Sophia Antipolis, France, is listed on Euronext Growth Paris (Ticker symbol: ALCOX).
For more information www.nicox.com
