Diquas (diquafosol) / Merck (MSD), Santen - LARVOL DELTA

Efficacy of Topical Cyclosporine Versus Topical Diquafosol in Treating Dry Eye Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (PubMed, J Ocul Pharmacol Ther) - "This study revealed that CsA and DQS did not differ significantly in their efficacy in improving most objective clinical indices for DED over 1-3 months of treatment. However, DQS demonstrated greater improvement in subjective patient-reported outcomes. Future RCTs should explore the long-term efficacy of these treatments."

Journal • Retrospective data • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Rebamipide Versus Diquafosol for Perioperative Dry Eye in Cataract Surgery (clinicaltrials.gov) - P4 | N=60 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: Samsung Medical Center

Head-to-Head • New P4 trial • Cataract • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Rebamipide Versus Diquafosol and Cyclosporine for Perioperative Dry Eye in Cataract Surgery (clinicaltrials.gov) - P4 | N=55 | Completed | Sponsor: Samsung Medical Center

New P4 trial • Cataract • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Integrating secretagogues into clinical dry eye care: Insights from Asian clinical experience. (PubMed, Taiwan J Ophthalmol) - "In Asia, clinical management often follows a tear film-oriented approach that emphasizes restoring specific tear components, particularly through the use of secretagogues such as diquafosol and rebamipide...By highlighting regional practice patterns and accumulated clinical experience, this article offers perspectives on effectively integrating secretagogues into dry eye management. These insights may contribute to a broader understanding of individualized, mechanism-based treatment strategies beyond inflammation suppression."

Journal • Review • Cataract • Dry Eye Disease • Inflammation • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology

Restoring the mucin barrier: Advances in secretagogue therapies for ocular surface disorders. (PubMed, Taiwan J Ophthalmol) - "Clinically approved secretagogues such as diquafosol and rebamipide improve mucin expression and epithelial healing, while biologics, gene therapies, and nutraceutical compounds are actively being explored. Advancing these therapies may enable more targeted and durable restoration of ocular surface integrity across a range of mucin-deficient diseases. We searched for related research on PubMed using the terms "Mucin" and "Mucin secretagogues," along with keywords such as "dry eye," "goblet cell," and "ocular surface disorder." Articles related to mucin secretagogues published within the last 10 years were reviewed."

Journal • Review • Conjunctivitis • Dry Eye Disease • Gene Therapies • Graft versus Host Disease • Immunology • Ocular Infections • Ocular Inflammation • Oncology • Ophthalmology • Steven-Johnson Syndrome • EGFR • IL13 • TNFA

Preoperative Diquafosol vs. Intense Pulsed Light with Gland Expression for MGD: Effects on Refractive Accuracy and Tear Film Stability in Cataract Surgery. (PubMed, J Clin Med) - " IPL-MGX may improve refractive accuracy compared to DQS. TBUT appeared to be the most consistent predictor, and achieving ≥6 s was associated with higher likelihood of refractive success."

Journal • Cataract • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Immediate Therapeutic Effects of Diquafosol and Rebamipide in Dry Eye Disease (clinicaltrials.gov) - P4 | N=30 | Completed | Sponsor: Korea University Anam Hospital

New P4 trial • Conjunctivitis • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology • MUC1

Comparison of the efficacy of intense pulsed light, 0.05% cyclosporine A eye drops, and 3% diquafosol sodium eye drops in the treatment of moderate to severe dry eye: A prospective cohort study. (PubMed, Medicine (Baltimore)) - "IPL, 0.05% CsA, and 3% DQS eye drops are effective in treating moderate to severe dry eye. Notably, IPL shows significant advantages over CsA and DQS, owing to its noninvasive nature, effective clearance of meibomian gland obstruction, and marked improvement in tear film quality."

Clinical • Journal • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Effect of 3% diquafosol sodium eye drops on the prediction of intraocular lens power in predisposition to dry eye patients scheduled for cataract surgery: a prospective, observational study. (PubMed, Front Med (Lausanne)) - "Use of 3% DQS induces changes in intraocular lens power by affecting steep keratometry values, with such change being more significant in predisposition to dry eyes and warranting attention. When planning cataract surgery, it is recommended to prioritize the Barrett Universal II formula for IOL power calculation."

Journal • Observational data • Astigmatism • Cataract • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Evaluation of the Effects of Eye Drops for Dry Eyes on Neuronal Pain Receptors in a Primary Culture Model of Trigeminal Ganglion Cells. (PubMed, J Clin Med) - " Inhibition of cellular excitation by cyclosporine and diquafosol tetrasodium may underlie their clinical pain suppressive effects. The primary culture model described here may serve as a useful tool for future studies on corneal perception."

Journal • Dry Eye Disease • Inflammation • Neuralgia • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology • Pain • TRPV1

Impact of 0.05% cyclosporine A on visual quality in patients with Post-refractive surgery dry eye. (PubMed, Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol) - "What is known Post-refractive surgery dry eye syndrome (DES) can degrade visual quality due to increased higher-order aberrations (HOAs) and tear film instability. Cyclosporine A (CsA) 0.05% has recognized anti-inflammatory effects and is commonly used to manage various types of DES. What is new The addition of 0.05% CsA to conventional DES treatment significantly improves corneal HOAs and subjective visual quality in post-refractive surgery patients. This study provides quantitative evidence that CsA not only relieves post-refractive DES symptoms but also enhances visual performance through improved tear film stability and optical quality."

Journal • Dry Eye Disease • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology

The effect of diquafosol on tear film inflammatory markers in patients with dry eye: A noncomparative, open-label, proof-of-concept study. (PubMed, J Int Med Res) - "Individual responses were found to be independent of age, sex, eye laterality, pretreatment tear break-up time, and ocular surface disease index scores based on the multivariate logistic regression.ConclusionDiquafosol reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the tears of patients with dry eye disease after 4 weeks of treatment, suggesting their possible role in modulating ocular surface inflammation. Larger prospective studies are recommended to validate these results."

Biomarker • Journal • Dry Eye Disease • Ocular Inflammation • Oncology • Ophthalmology • IFNG • IL1B • IL6 • TNFA

Effect of silver nitrate solution on corneal epithelial barrier function in rabbits. (PubMed, Cutan Ocul Toxicol) - "Diquas LX eye drops containing silver nitrate significantly increased CR compared to Diquas eye drops without silver nitrate and improved corneal barrier function. Silver nitrate as a preservative may have contributed to this effect."

Journal • Preclinical • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology • TJP1

Updates in the local treatments in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome "Efficacy and Safety" (ACR Convergence 2025) - "Novel agents such as lifitegrast, diquafosol, and lacritin reported favourable results with minimal adverse effects. In the management of xerostomia, pilocarpine and cevimeline improved salivary output (pilocarpine concentrations significantly increased whole salivary flow compared to placebo (p < 0.01)) and symptom perception (but were limited by systemic adverse effects... Local therapies remain a cornerstone in the management of sicca symptoms in pSS, particularly given the limited access to systemic immunomodulatory drugs. While several interventions demonstrated promising efficacy and safety profiles, most evidence was derived from small, heterogeneous studies. Further research is needed to establish standardised outcome measures, clarify long-term benefits, and guide personalised therapeutic strategies."

Clinical • Dental Disorders • Immunology • Sjogren's Syndrome • Xerostomia • LACRT

Comparison of two treatments for dry eye disease after corneal refractive surgery. (PubMed, Braz J Med Biol Res) - "Dry eye disease is a common complication after corneal refractive surgery, and there is a lack of international guidelines addressing its management. Three percent diquafosol showed superior improvement of dry eye parameters post-refractive surgery than 0.1% sodium hyaluronate."

Clinical • Journal • Retrospective data • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Temporal Changes in Tear Film Stability With Four Dry Eye Eyedrops in Healthy Subjects. (PubMed, Eye Contact Lens) - "Topical instillation of 3% diquafosol ophthalmic solution effectively increased tear volume on the ocular surface, with the long-acting DQL formulation demonstrating a more sustained effect in healthy eyes."

Journal • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

3% Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution for Active Moderate-to-Severe Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (clinicaltrials.gov) - P3 | N=94 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong | Initiation date: Jun 2025 ➔ Dec 2025

Trial initiation date • Conjunctivitis • Dry Eye Disease • Ocular Infections • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology

Safety and Efficacy of Diquafosol Compared to Artificial Tears for the Treatment of Dry Eye: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (PubMed, Int J Mol Sci) - "Secretagogues such as pilocarpine, cevimeline, and diquafosol offer potential alternatives, though their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. Diquafosol 3% shows greater efficacy than artificial tears in post-cataract DED but with more side effects. Further research is needed for other secretagogues."

Journal • Retrospective data • Review • Cataract • Dry Eye Disease • Novel Coronavirus Disease • Ophthalmology

Effectiveness of Dry Eye Treatment With Diquafosol Sodium 3% After Phaco Surgery (clinicaltrials.gov) - P=N/A | N=60 | Completed | Sponsor: Le Xuan Cung

New trial • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

The Impact of 3% Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution on Tear Film and Corneal Nerve Density in Patients with Diabetes and Dry Eye Disease: A Randomized Controlled Study. (PubMed, Ophthalmol Ther) - P=N/A | "Both DQS and HA can improve the tear film of patients with diabetes and DED. DQS is more effective in treating DED compared to HA. Additionally, DQS may be beneficial for diabetic dry eye patients with corneal nerve damage."

Journal • Diabetes • Dry Eye Disease • Metabolic Disorders • Ophthalmology

Compare the Clinical Efficacy of 3% Diquafosol and 0.1% Hyaluronic Acid in Patients With Dry Eye After LASIK (clinicaltrials.gov) - P=N/A | N=140 | Not yet recruiting | Sponsor: He Eye Hospital

New trial • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Diquafosol vs Hyaluronic Acid for Diabetic Dry Eye (clinicaltrials.gov) - P=N/A | N=99 | Completed | Sponsor: He Eye Hospital | Not yet recruiting ➔ Completed | N=202 ➔ 99

Enrollment change • Trial completion • Diabetes • Dry Eye Disease • Metabolic Disorders • Ophthalmology

Impact of 0.05% Cyclosporine A on Visual Quality in Patients with Post-refractive Surgery Dry Eye (ChiCTR) - P4 | N=52 | Recruiting | Sponsor: the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University; the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

New P4 trial • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

A nationwide population-based study on epidemiologic characteristics and treatment patterns of dry eye disease in South Korea. (PubMed, Sci Rep) - "Single-use hyaluronic acid (HA) was most commonly prescribed (43.0%), followed by bottled steroids (24.5%), bottled HA (19.6%), and bottled diquafosol (4.3%). Annual prescriptions of cyclosporine and single-use steroids increased over time. Older patients were more likely to receive bottled formulations than single-use medication. This is the first nationwide study to examine DED prescription patterns on a large-scale population basis in South Korea, and the findings highlight the accessibility of HA-based therapies within a universal health coverage system, offering a distinct perspective compared to global patterns."

Journal • Dry Eye Disease • Ophthalmology

Topical Pharmacologic Treatments for Dry Eye Disease: A Systematic Review. (PubMed, Ocul Surf) - "Current topical pharmacologic eye products improved signs, and sometimes symptoms, of DED and were well tolerated. Treatment selection should use a shared decision-making approach that takes DED etiology and patient preferences into account."

Journal • Review • Dry Eye Disease • Inflammation • Ocular Inflammation • Ophthalmology