-First Patient Dosed in 90-Day Efficacy Trial Named COMET-1-

DURHAM, NC, USA I October 29, 2020 I Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AERI), an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, ocular surface diseases and retinal diseases, today announced the commencement of COMET-1, a Phase 2b clinical trial of AR-15512 (TRPM8 agonist) ophthalmic solution for the treatment of patients with dry eye disease.

The COMET-1 trial is a randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of AR-15512 (TRPM8 agonist) in patients with dry eye disease. Approximately 360 patients in total are expected to be enrolled. Patients will receive either AR-15512 0.0014%, AR-15512 0.003% or AR-15512 vehicle dosed as one drop twice daily in each eye over three months. The primary efficacy endpoints of the clinical trial are ocular discomfort (symptom) and tear production (sign). Patients will be evaluated on multiple efficacy assessments at days 14, 28 and 84; safety will be assessed at all visits. Topline results from COMET-1 are expected in the third quarter of 2021. More information about the clinical trial is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov under the study designation NCT04498182.

“We are excited to initiate COMET-1, Aerie’s first dry eye clinical trial,” said Vicente Anido, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Aerie. “With an estimated 30 million dry eye sufferers in the United States and less than 3 million treated, we believe there is a substantial unmet need in the treatment of dry eye disease. By activating the TRPM8 receptor, AR-15512 may stimulate tear production as well as reduce ocular discomfort through a mild cooling sensation. We anticipate topline results of COMET-1, which is powered as a Phase 3, in the third quarter of 2021.”

AR-15512, formerly AVX-012, was acquired by Aerie in November 2019 in the acquisition of Avizorex Pharma, S.L., a Spanish ophthalmic pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the treatment of dry eye disease.

About Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Aerie is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, ocular surface diseases and retinal diseases. Aerie’s first product, Rhopressa® (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02%, a once-daily eye drop approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, was launched in the United States in April 2018. In clinical trials of Rhopressa®, the most common adverse reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information about Rhopressa®, including the product label, is available at www.rhopressa.com. Aerie’s second product for the reduction of elevated IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, Rocklatan® (netarsudil and latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005%, the first and only fixed-dose combination of Rhopressa® and the widely-prescribed PGA (prostaglandin analog) latanoprost, was launched in the United States in May 2019. In clinical trials of Rocklatan®, the most common adverse reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information about Rocklatan®, including the product label, is available at www.rocklatan.com. Aerie continues to focus on global expansion and the development of additional product candidates and technologies in ophthalmology, including for wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. More information is available at www.aeriepharma.com.

SOURCE: Aerie Pharmaceuticals