Business in Brief
Approvals, announcements, acquisitions and an all-new training program for refractive surgeons
- Ocular Therapeutix has announced FDA approval of DEXTENZA for ocular pain following ophthalmic surgery. It is the first FDA-approved intracanalicular insert delivering dexamethasone to treat post-surgical ocular pain, offering up to 30 days’ relief with a single administration.
- Alcon launched their annual Retina Fellows Institute training program in Fort Worth, Texas. Participants took part in a weekend of hands-on surgical training exercises, as part of the company’s commitment to developing the next generation of retinal surgeons. Alcon also announced the acquisition of Tear Film Innovations Inc – the manufacturer of iLux® – signifying their move into the dry eye treatment space.
- Novartis has announced landmark European approval for one-time gene-therapy Luxturna. It is the first treatment of its kind to improve or restore sight to patients with inherited retinal degenerative diseases caused by mutations in both copies of the RPE65 gene.
- Notal Vision has been granted breakthrough device designation by the FDA for their home-based OCT platform – a patient-friendly device intended for use between regularly scheduled clinic assessments. The company also announced the appointment of a new CEO – Susan Orr – after the retirement of Quinton Oswald.
- Results of Glaukos’ recent iStent inject® study have now been released. The prospective, non-randomized trial found a 20 percent IOP reduction in 78 percent of eyes and a mean medication decrease from 68 percent to 0.8 percent. Glaukos is also pursuing FDA approval for additional MIGS surgical and sustained pharmaceutical therapy products.
I’ve always loved telling stories. So much so, I decided to make a job of it. I finished a Masters in Magazine Journalism and spent three years working as a creative copywriter before itchy feet sent me (back)packing. It took seven months and 13 countries, but I’m now happily settled on The Ophthalmologist, where I’m busy getting stuck into all things eyeballs.
