Cystaran
Generic name: cysteamine hydrochloride · Brand names: Cystaran
Information sourced from FDA Structured Product Labeling, updated April 30, 2025.
What is it used for?
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE CYSTARAN ® is a cystine-depleting agent indicated for the treatment of corneal cystine crystal accumulation in patients with cystinosis. CYSTARAN is a cystine-depleting agent indicated for the treatment of corneal cystine crystal accumulation in patients with cystinosis.
How to take it
Instill one drop of CYSTARAN in each eye, every waking hour. Do not touch dropper tip to any surface, as this may contaminate the solution. Discard after 1 week of use. Instill one drop of CYSTARAN in each eye, every waking hour.
Warnings
To minimize the risk of contamination, do not touch the dropper tip to any surface. Keep bottle tightly closed when not in use.
Contamination of Tip and Solution To
minimize contaminating the dropper tip and solution, care should be taken not to touch the eyelids or surrounding areas with the dropper tip of the bottle. Keep bottle tightly closed when not in use.
Benign Intracranial Hypertension There
have been reports of benign intracranial hypertension (or pseudotumor cerebri) associated with oral cysteamine treatment that has resolved with the addition of diuretic therapy. There have also been reports associated with ophthalmic use of cysteamine; however, all of these patients were on concurrent oral cysteamine.
Contact Lens Use
CYSTARAN contains benzalkonium chloride, which may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Contact lenses should be removed prior to application of solution and may be reinserted 15 minutes following its administration .
Topical Ophthalmic Use
CYSTARAN is for topical ophthalmic use.
Who should not take it
None. None.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Risk Summary There
are no adequate and well controlled studies of ophthalmic cysteamine in pregnant women to inform any drug associated risks. Oral administration of cysteamine to pregnant rats throughout the period of organogenesis was teratogenic at doses 86 to 345 times the recommended human ophthalmic dose (based on body surface area) . CYSTARAN should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Data Animal Data Teratology studies have been performed in rats at oral doses in the range of 37.5 mg/kg/day to 150 mg/kg/day (86 to 345 times the recommended human ophthalmic dose based on a body surface area) and have revealed cysteamine bitartrate to be teratogenic.
Observed teratogenic findings were intrauterine death, cleft palate, kyphosis, heart ventricular septal defects, microcephaly, exencephaly, and growth deficits.
Side effects
The most common adverse reactions (incidence approximately 10% or greater) are sensitivity to light, redness, eye pain/irritation, headache and visual field defects. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Leadiant Biosciences, Inc. at 1-888-393-4584 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Clinical Trials Experience Because
clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The safety data described below reflect exposure in controlled clinical trials of six months to 19 years duration in approximately 300 patients. The most frequently reported ocular adverse reactions occurring in ≥10% of patients were sensitivity to light, redness, and eye pain/irritation, headache and visual field defects.
All information on this site is provided “as-is” for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. You should consult with a medical professional if you have any questions about your health. Source: FDA Structured Product Labeling.