A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended the approval of Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s experimental glaucoma drug Rhopressa.

The panel voted 9-1 in favor of Rhopressa, concluding that its benefits outweigh its risks.

In addition, the panel voted unanimously in favor of the treatment being effective in lowering elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Glaucoma is a condition that damages the optic nerve.

The regulator is expected to decide on the drug's approval Feb. 28, 2018. It is not required to act on the advice of its advisory panels, but generally does so.