Glaukos Receives Permanent J-code for Epioxa™

Gretchyn Bailey

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Aliso Viejo, CA – April 15, 2026—Glaukos Corporation (NYSE: GKOS), an ophthalmic pharmaceutical and medical technology company focused on novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases, announced today the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has assigned a unique, permanent Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) J-code for Epioxa™ HD / Epioxa™ (“Epioxa”) for the treatment of keratoconus, a rare, sight-threatening disease that is currently far too often undiagnosed and untreated.

The new J-code for Epioxa, J2789, is set to become effective July 1, 2026. It is expected to streamline the reporting and payment of Epioxa by U.S. payers over time, and has been published here on the CMS website.

“The assignment of a product-specific J-code for Epioxa represents an important milestone, supporting our market access initiatives to increase access and expand coverage for patients suffering from keratoconus,” said Thomas Burns, Glaukos chairman and chief executive officer. “Once effective, this new J-code is expected to enable more streamlined and consistent coverage and payment for Epioxa over time, strengthening the foundation for our commercial launch and enabling broader patient access.”

J-codes are reported by U.S. healthcare providers and used by U.S. government and commercial payers to streamline the billing and reimbursement process for pharmaceuticals, such as Epioxa, administered by a healthcare professional.

Epioxa represents a transformative innovation in keratoconus care, offering an incision-free alternative to traditional corneal cross-linking procedures as it does not require the removal of the corneal epithelium, the outermost layer of the front of the eye. This novel, oxygen-enriched topical therapeutic, bioactivated by UV light, is designed to eliminate the pain associated with removal of the epithelium, streamline the procedure, and minimize recovery, all while delivering clinically meaningful outcomes and exceptional value to patients, providers, and the healthcare system.

About Glaukos
Glaukos (www.glaukos.com) is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical and medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases. Glaukos first developed Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) as an alternative to the traditional glaucoma treatment paradigm, launching its first MIGS device commercially in 2012. In 2024, Glaukos commenced commercial launch activities for iDose ® TR, a first-of-its-kind, long-duration, intracameral procedural pharmaceutical designed to deliver 24/7 glaucoma drug therapy inside the eye for extended periods of time. Glaukos also markets the only FDA-approved corneal cross-linking therapy utilizing a proprietary bio-activated pharmaceutical for the treatment of keratoconus, a rare corneal disorder. Glaukos continues to successfully develop and advance a robust pipeline of novel, dropless platform technologies designed to meaningfully advance the standard of care and improve outcomes for patients suffering from chronic eye diseases.
 
So let me see if I have this straight- Glaukos brought us "Epioxa" as a treatment for keratoconus. Glaukos is partial owned by BlackRock and others. The Glaukos group bought Avedro in 2019 who had corneal cross linking-which at the time of acquisition cost $3-$5,000/eye. So now cross linking is suddenly $78,000/eye since Glaukos group owns the rights to riboflavin. "Epioxa" cost the same. Cross linking was never covered by medical insurance- but "Epioxa" has been approved so we now have a special code for it.

I have read "Epioxa"does not perform as well as cross linking. Cross linking is still available at $3,000-$5,000/eye in the none approved FDA form. In short-insurance coverage for a sub par treatment then what we had before for an exorbitant cost.

What a mess. Please correct me if I'm am wrong