Prescription and over-the-counter medicine
Alcaftadine Brand names: Lastacaft
Alcaftadine (Lastacaft) is a prescription and over-the-counter medicine with an FDA approval on record since 2010. A generic is approved and listed by 3 labelers, but in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey pharmacies bought only the brand, at $2.83 per mL (Lastacaft once daily 0.25% drp).
- Generic approved
Check it at the source: the alcaftadine FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 1, 2020, Allergan, Inc.); the NDA 22134 record on Drugs@FDA; every alcaftadine label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of June 1, 2020; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageLASTACAFT ® is an H 1 histamine receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis.
Forms and strengths
- 2.5 mg/ml
Solution/ drops.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- July 28, 2010 Lastacaft, Abbvie; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 3 first June 23, 2023; 2 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 4 of which 3 under generic applications, 1 under brand applications, repackagers included
- Last listed patent
- December 23, 2027 Lastacaft solution/drops; not a generic launch date
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $2.83 per mL Lastacaft once daily 0.25% drp
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 902 through July 30, 2026
What is alcaftadine used for?
From the label: indications and usageLASTACAFT ® is an H 1 histamine receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis. LASTACAFT ® is an H 1 histamine receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis.
FDA pharmacologic class: Histamine-1 Receptor Antagonist.
Source: FDA drug label (LASTACAFT), NDA022134 (Abbvie), as published by Allergan, Inc., effective June 1, 2020 (SPL set 17d37e8d-7825-424b-b6ca-0a85d0bf4694), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for alcaftadine (Lastacaft)?
The FDA approved the first generic alcaftadine on June 23, 2023. 3 generic applications are approved; 2 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists alcaftadine from 3 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 1 brand labeler. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it. In the latest NADAC survey pharmacies bought only the brand, so a generic may not be on sale yet.
The Orange Book lists 2 patents for Lastacaft solution/drops, the last expiring on December 23, 2027. A patent or exclusivity date is not the date a generic goes on sale: court cases and settlements move it either way.
- 2010 earliest approval on file
- 2023 first generic approved
- 2027 last listed patent
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for alcaftadine (Lastacaft)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $2.83 per mL (Lastacaft once daily 0.25% drp), about the same as a year earlier. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Lastacaft once daily 0.25% drp (brand)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lastacaft once daily 0.25% drp | Brand | $2.83 per mL | n/a | -0.1% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What does the alcaftadine label say about other medicines?
The alcaftadine label names 1 other medicine in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Benzalkonium | warnings and precautions | The preservative in LASTACAFT ® , benzalkonium chloride, may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. |
Source: FDA drug label (LASTACAFT), NDA022134 (Abbvie), as published by Allergan, Inc., effective June 1, 2020 (SPL set 17d37e8d-7825-424b-b6ca-0a85d0bf4694), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for alcaftadine?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 902 reports that list alcaftadine among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 5 are coded as a death and 37 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Other antihistamines
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Alcaftadine side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other