Two medicines, side by side
Brimonidine vs bimatoprost
Brimonidine and bimatoprost are both labeled for glaucoma. Drugs@FDA records approvals of brimonidine since 1996 and of bimatoprost since 2001. Pharmacies paid $9.06 per mL (Brimonidine tartrate 0.1% drop) and $6.97 per mL (Bimatoprost 0.03% eye drops) (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, brimonidine is an alpha-adrenergic agonist and bimatoprost a prostaglandin analog.
Check it at the source: the brimonidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 24, 2025); the bimatoprost FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 22, 2024).
Highlights of the brimonidine record
Brimonidine (Lumify) · label of July 24, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsBrimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.2% is indicated for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The IOP lowering efficacy of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution diminishes over time in some patients. This loss of effect appears with a variable time of onset in each patient and should be closely monitored. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 6, 1996
- Generic labelers
- 14 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $9.06 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 4
Highlights of the bimatoprost record
Bimatoprost (Lumigan) · label of June 22, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsLUMIGAN ® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.01% is indicated for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. LUMIGAN ® 0.01% is a prostaglandin analog indicated for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- March 16, 2001
- Generic labelers
- 13 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $6.97 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 5
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Brimonidine label of July 24, 2025, Bimatoprost label of June 22, 2024); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do brimonidine and bimatoprost differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, brimonidine is an alpha-adrenergic agonist and bimatoprost a prostaglandin analog.
How each works, in its label's words: Brimonidine, “Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.2% is a relatively selective alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist with a peak ocular hypotensive effect occurring at two hours post-dosing.”; Bimatoprost, “Bimatoprost, a prostaglandin analog, is a synthetic structural analog of prostaglandin with ocular hypotensive activity.”
Half-life, in each label's words: Brimonidine, “12.3 Pharmacokinetics Absorption After ocular administration of a 0.2% solution, plasma concentrations peaked within 1 …”; Bimatoprost, “cretion Following an intravenous dose of radiolabeled bimatoprost (3.12 mcg/kg) to six healthy subjects, the maximum …”
Generics: brimonidine since 2003; bimatoprost since 2014 (Drugs@FDA).
| Brimonidine | Bimatoprost | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Glaucoma | Glaucoma |
| Pharmacologic class | alpha-Adrenergic Agonist | Prostaglandin Analog |
| How it works (label) | Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.2% is a relatively selective alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist with a peak ocular hypotensive effect occurring at two hours post-dosing. | Bimatoprost, a prostaglandin analog, is a synthetic structural analog of prostaglandin with ocular hypotensive activity. It selectively mimics the effects of naturally occurring substances, prostamides. |
| Half-life (label) | 12.3 Pharmacokinetics Absorption After ocular administration of a 0.2% solution, plasma concentrations peaked within 1 to 4 hours and declined with a systemic half-life of approximately 3 hours. | cretion Following an intravenous dose of radiolabeled bimatoprost (3.12 mcg/kg) to six healthy subjects, the maximum blood concentration of unchanged drug was 12.2 ng/mL and decreased rapidly with an elimination … |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | September 6, 1996 | March 16, 2001 |
| First generic approved | May 28, 2003 | December 1, 2014 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 14 labelers | 13 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $9.06 per mL (Brimonidine tartrate 0.1% drop) | $6.97 per mL (Bimatoprost 0.03% eye drops) |
| 12-month price change | -41% | -45% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 4 | 5 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 17,837 | 28,651 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to brimonidine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions