Clobetasol Propionate Ophthalmic Nanoemulsion 0.05% for the Treatment of Inflammation and Pain Associated With Cataract Surgery (CLOSE-1)

Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures performed worldwide. In fact, in 2017, 3.8 million cataracts procedures were performed in the US. Despite of surgical advances, pain and inflammation after ophthalmic surgery continues to be a burden on both patients and physicians. The treatment of postoperative pain is essential for hospitalized patients, but it is even more important for patients who are treated on an outpatient basis. This study will compare the efficacy and safety of clobetasol propionate ophthalmic nanoemulsion 0.05% to placebo, when administering one drop four times a day during 14 days after routine unilateral cataract surgery. Participants will undergo routine cataract surgery according to the ophthalmologist's normal procedures. Overall, 210 participants are planned to take part in the study. They will be screened across 20 centers in the US. Participants who experience postoperative inflammation on the first day following routine cataract surgery and who meet all other eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned by chance to one of two study groups in a 2:1 ratio to receive either clobetasol propionate ophthalmic nanoemulsion 0.05 % (N=140) or placebo (N=70) for the treatment of inflammation and pain associated with cataract surgery. Six (6) study visits are planned: Visit -1 (Screening), Visit 1 (Baseline; 24h after the surgery), Visit 2 (Day 3), Visit 3 (Day 8), Visit 4 (Day 15), and Visit 5 (Day 29). The ophthalmologist will administer the first dose of the study medication 24 hours after the surgery, at the end of the Baseline visit, at the study center. Study medication will be then dispensed to participants for self-administration during the study at a dosage of one drop four times a day, during 14 days. Direct instillation is the most efficient method for delivery to the ocular surface and is an accepted and widely used method for topical application to the eye. This study will examine effect and tolerability f