Also in the News…

Positive topline results for MELT-300. Melt Pharmaceuticals (Brentwood, TN, USA) has announced positive topline results for its phase III study of MELT-300. MELT-300, a non-opioid tablet composed of a fixed dose of ketamine (50mg) and midazolam (3mg), is designed to be used as a procedural sedation during cataract surgery. Link

CE certification for the Artiplus Phakic IOL. Dutch intraocular product manufacturer, Ophtec, recently announced CE certification for Artiplus Phakic IOL, a new treatment option for young presbyopes (early 40s). Already available in South Korea, the new lens design incorporates patented multi-segmented optic technology to generate multiple elongated focal points. Link

Combining forces. Synthetic biology company Asimov announced a licensing agreement with biopharmaceutical company, RevOpsis Therapeutics, for its CHO Edge System. Asimov will integrate RevOpsis’ system into the development of its tri-specific biologic, RO-104, for the treatment of retinal vascular diseases. Link

MIGS anticoagulant options. Surveying a total of 103 MIGS surgeons, researchers behind a Journal of Glaucoma study have highlighted how anticoagulant management decisions used by subspecialists during the MIGS perioperative period are highly varied. The authors – working from The Scheie Eye Institute in the Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania – believe their findings could be used to inform practice guidelines. Link

Refractive errors and chronic disease. A new IOVS study has explored the relationship between refractive errors – particularly myopia – and common chronic diseases. Using data taken from 116,245 participants in the UK Biobank, the study – conducted at Fudan University, Shanghai, China – found myopia is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a risk that can be mitigated by physical activity. These findings highlight the need for integrated preventative strategies that target modifiable factors, such as obesity and lack of physical activity, to help reduce T2DM risk in myopic individuals. Link

Fluid pressures and CEC damage. A joint team from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, and Carl Zeiss Meditec Cataract Technology Inc. has investigated whether fluid pressures used during cataract surgery might contribute to corneal endothelial cell (CEC) damage. The team used a new corneal endothelial indentation platform on porcine eyes, demonstrating that even high surgical pressures (up to 400 mm Hg) did not significantly increase CEC damage compared with physiological pressures. Their findings indicate that fluid pressure alone is not a primary cause of acute CEC loss, answering a longstanding cataract surgery question. Link