Analysts see Lenz’s Vizz exceeding $1 billion in sales by 2038

LENZ Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: LENZ) has secured a pivotal breakthrough in the eye care market with the US FDA’s approval of Vizz, the first and only aceclidine-based eye drop for presbyopia, or age-related blurry near vision. The approval in July marks the biotech’s first commercial product, positioning Lenz as a potential challenger in a market long dominated by pilocarpine-based treatments.

Presbyopia has traditionally been corrected with reading glasses. Eye drops offer a more discreet, on-the-go alternative for adults reluctant to rely on spectacles.

Vizz (aceclidine ophthalmic solution 1.44%) acts by contracting the eye’s muscles to improve near focus. Visible Alpha consensus shows analysts expect a modest commercial start, with $3 million in sales in 2025, rising to $45 million by 2026. The therapy is forecast to achieve peak global sales of $1.1 billion by 2038, potentially reaching blockbuster status if adoption among consumers grows as anticipated.

Its rivals include AbbVie Inc. (NYSE: ABBV) Vuity, approved in 2021, and Orasis Pharmaceuticals’ Qlosi, cleared in 2023 — both of which rely on pilocarpine hydrochloride, a compound with a shorter duration of effect. Vuity, typically administered once or twice a day, is forecast to generate $117 million in 2026, while Qlosi offers up to eight hours of improved near vision. In comparison, Vizz’s longer duration and lower side-effect profile is expected to give it a commercial edge as the market matures.

Another player, Opus Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: IRD), is running late-stage trials for its candidate Ryzumvi, currently approved only for mydriasis reversal but seeking an additional indication for presbyopia.

This article was published by Visible Alpha, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.