The first and prescription eye drop that improves age related presbyopia

Catchword-named Vuity is the first medication for age-related farsightedness

Catchword is thrilled to share Allergan’s announcement that the FDA has approved Vuity and it is now available by prescription. Catchword created the name for this first and only eye drop to treat presbyopia (age-related blurry near vision) and for pHast, the technology used to deliver it.

The FDA approved Vuity for treatment of presbyopia on October 29, 2021, which received significant media coverage in general and pharma/healthcare outlets. Excitement has continued with stories online, in print, and on television explaining the eye drop’s life-changing effects. CBS Mornings aired a story today, as the company announced the product is now available by prescription.

“Vuity represents an eyesight revolution for millions if not billions of people around the world,” said Catchword principal Mark Skoultchi. “We couldn’t be more proud to be a part of it.”

Eyesight deterioration is an inevitable part of getting older. This type of vision loss is called presbyopia, a progressive condition that reduces the eye’s ability to focus on near objects, and nearly every adult over the age of 40 experiences it.

In a non-presbyopic eye, the clear lens behind the iris can change shape and focus light to the retina, making it easier to see things up close. In a presbyopic eye, the clear lens hardens and does not change shape as easily, making it difficult to focus on near objects. Presbyopia can be diagnosed by an eye doctor, but is usually left untreated. Until now.

Since 1948, Allergan has discovered, developed, and delivered more than 125 products and invested billions in research to treat glaucoma, ocular surface disease, retinal diseases, and other prevalent eye conditions. Presbyopia is not anywhere near as debilitating as these conditions but affects nearly everyone eventually. Allergan, now part of global pharmaceutical leader AbbVie, decided to find a treatment so people no longer need readers and a flashlight to do the activities they love.

The solution Allergan developed (pilocarpine HCL ophthalmic solution 1.25%) is a once-daily, prescription eye drop that works in as soon as 15 minutes and lasts up to 6 hours to improve near and intermediate vision without impacting distance vision.

How did Catchword name it?

In addition to richly conveying the brand themes and story, engaging target audiences and all the other requirements of a great name, with the eye drop name needed to be extremely careful about overpromising—it would treat, not cure, the condition and could not guarantee a particular level of vision improvement for every user. It also needed to sound like an over-the-counter brand (not a crazy drug name full of Xs and Zs) even though it would be a prescription product.

Vuity instantly conveys the solution’s ability to improve viewing acuity and recalls the phrase “view it.” As a gentle coinage it is both familiar and intriguing. The name is easy to spell and say (no small feat in pharmaceutical naming) and works equally well for English-speaking and international audiences to convey meaning and a smart, friendly tone.

For more information about the naming process:

Laurel Sutton@catchwordbranding.com

Tel: 00.212.472.8936

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