Tafluprost is a prescription medicine (Prostaglandin Analog). The sections below reproduce one FDA label for it, named under "Label". Products in other forms, strengths or from other makers have their own labels, which can differ.
- Type
- Prescription only (Rx)
- Brand names
- Zioptan
- Drug class
- Prostaglandin Analog
- Taken
- Ophthalmic
- Label
- Thea Pharma Inc., revised April 23, 2026 · full label on DailyMed
- Generic
- FDA-approved (3 companies) · details
What it is used for
ZIOPTAN® is indicated for reducing elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. ZIOPTAN is a prostaglandin analog indicated for reducing elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. ( 1 )
Forms and strengths
Ophthalmic solution: 0.0015% tafluprost in a single-dose container. Ophthalmic solution: 0.0015% tafluprost in a single-dose container. ( 3 )
Who should not take it (contraindications)
None. None. ( 4 )
Side effects (adverse reactions)
. Most common ocular adverse reaction is conjunctival hyperemia (4% to 20%). ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Thea Pharma Inc. at 1-833-838-4028 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
6.1 Clinical Studies Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies 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. Preservative-containing or nonpreserved tafluprost 0.0015% was evaluated in 905 patients in five controlled clinical studies of up to 24-months duration. The most common adverse reaction observed in patients treated with tafluprost was conjunctival hyperemia which was reported in a range of 4% to 20% of patients. Approximately 1% of patients discontinued therapy due to ocular adverse reactions. Ocular adverse reactions reported at an incidence of ≥ 2% in these clinical studies included ocular stinging/irritation (7%), ocular pruritus including allergic conjunctivitis (5%), cataract (3%), dry eye (3%), ocular pain (3%), eyelash darkening (2%), growth of eyelashes (2%) and vision blurred (2%). Nonocular adverse reactions reported at an incidence of 2% to 6% in these clinical studies in patients treated with tafluprost 0.0015% were headache (6%), common cold (4%), cough (3%) and urinary tract infection (2%).
6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of tafluprost. Because postapproval adverse reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Respiratory disorders: exacerbation of asthma, dyspnea Eye disorders: iritis/uveitis In postmarketing use with prostaglandin analogs, periorbital and lid changes including deepening of the eyelid sulcus have been observed.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children and older adults
. Use in pediatric patients is not recommended because of potential safety concerns related to increased pigmentation following long-term chronic use. ( 8.4 )
8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of ZIOPTAN administration in pregnant women to inform of drug-associated risks. In animal reproduction studies, intravenous administration of tafluprost to pregnant rabbits and rats throughout organogenesis resulted in embryofetal toxicities at exposures ≥5-times the human dose in rabbit and ≥2362-times the human dose in rat. (see Data). The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population(s) is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. Data Animal Data In embryo-fetal development studies, intravenous administration of tafluprost to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis caused increases in post-implantation losses in both species and reductions in fetal body weights in rats (≥0.03 mcg/kg/day in rabbits, 5-times the maximum clinical exposure based on Cmax; ≥10 mcg/kg/day in rats, 2362-times the maximum clinical exposure based on Cmax). Tafluprost also increased the incidence of vertebral skeletal abnormalities in rats and the incidence of skull, brain and spine malformations in rabbits at these same doses. In rats, there were no adverse effects on embryo-fetal development at a dose of 3 mcg/kg/day corresponding to maternal plasma levels of tafluprost acid that were 343 times the maximum clinical exposure based on Cmax. At the no-effect dose in rabbits (0.01 mcg/kg/day), maternal plasma levels of tafluprost acid were below the lower level of quantification (20 pg/mL). In a pre- and postnatal development study, intravenous administration of tafluprost to pregnant rats during organogenesis and through birth and lactation, caused increased mortality of newborns, decreased body weights and delayed pinna unfolding in offsprings. The no observed adverse effect level was at a tafluprost intravenous dose of 0.3 mcg/kg/day which is greater than 3 times the maximum recommended clinical dose based on body surface area comparison.
8.2 Lactation Risk Summary There are no data on the presence of tafluprost or its metabolites in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production following topical ocular administration. Tafluprost and/or its metabolites are present in rat milk following ocular administration. When a drug is present in animal milk, it is likely that the drug will be present in human milk.
8.4 Pediatric Use Use in pediatric patients is not recommended because of potential safety concerns related to increased pigmentation following long-term chronic use.
8.5 Geriatric Use No overall clinical differences in safety or effectiveness have been observed between elderly and other adult patients.
How it works
Tafluprost acid, a prostaglandin analog is a selective FP prostanoid receptor agonist which is believed to reduce intraocular pressure by increasing uveoscleral outflow. The exact mechanism of action is unknown at this time.
Is there a generic Tafluprost?
Yes. The FDA has approved generic Tafluprost from 3 companies whose approvals are active. The earliest of these was approved in 2019.
An FDA approval does not always mean the generic is already in pharmacies: patent disputes and settlements can delay a launch for years. Your pharmacist can tell you whether a generic is actually available and covered by your plan.
The FDA rates these generics as therapeutically equivalent to the brand ("A" rating): same active ingredient, strength, dosage form and effect. Pharmacists can usually substitute them unless the prescriber says otherwise.
Companies with an approved generic
Ingenus Pharms Llc, Micro Labs, Sandoz
Brand-name versions
- Zioptan Thea Pharma, approved 2012
Source: Drugs@FDA (via openFDA), checked October 29, 2026. Marketing status is what companies report to the FDA; whether a pharmacy stocks a product, and what your insurance covers, can differ.
Dosage:
we do not reproduce dosing instructions. The right dose depends on the person and the condition and is set by the prescriber or pharmacist. Dosage section of the full label.
Tafluprost in the news
We have not covered this medicine yet. Latest news
Recalls
No recalls matched to this medicine in FDA enforcement reports from the last 3 years (or older ones still open). Search all recalls
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Source: FDA structured product labeling, retrieved through openFDA. Label text is shown as published by the FDA, without editing; long sections are shortened, marked […]. openFDA data are not validated for clinical use — always check the current label and ask a doctor or pharmacist about your own treatment. Set ID db529b54-2ac7-4020-9791-7333bbe6c90f.