Glaucoma | Ophthalmology Innovation Source

MicroOptx

The company’s BG implant shunts aqueous to the tear film without risk of internal infection, and has developed a successful prototype with both bench and animal data. The device is miniscule—about 1/100 the size of the most commonly implanted glaucoma device. The nanotechnology’s bands are also about 1/3 the size of the smallest bacteria, providing…

Aquesys

The XEN Gel Stent is made of a permanent, soft, collagen-derived, gelatin about 6 mm long. Upon implantation, it creates a gentle, diffuse outflow of aqueous from the anterior chamber into the non-dissected tissue of the subconjunctival space. The ab-interno procedure requires no tissue dissection or suturing. Although the device creates a bleb, there are…

Transcend Medical Ready To Make Move In MIGs

[creativ_pullleft colour=”light-gray” colour_custom=”” text=”Episode 042″] Transcend Medical CMO Sean Ianchulev provides an update on COMPASS trial and shares company’s plan for the FDA. Podcast Guest Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH Dr. Ianchulev is a physician-executive, innovator and venture capital investor with deep life-science and medical technology expertise. As an innovator he has been at the core…

CEO Russ Trenary Discusses InnFocus’ Push Into The Competitive MIGs Market

[creativ_pullleft colour=”light-gray” colour_custom=”” text=”Episode 027″] Ophthalmology industry Veteran Russ Trenary reveals how InnFocus intends to capture a piece of the growing MIGs market. Podcast Guest Russell Trenary Russ Trenary is President & CEO for InnFocus, Inc., an early stage company pioneering a microsurgical solution for glaucoma. He has led, or been a named officer, for…

A View From The AAO – Ophthalmic Innovation in 2014

Speaking at the recent OIS@AAO meeting, American Academy of Ophthalmology EVP and CEO David W. Parke II, MD, highlighted health care system integration forces that are aggregating physicians into larger groups, encouraging hospital mergers, and accelerating physician employment. Much of the consolidation is happening as part of the push towards accountable care organizations (ACOs). About…

InnFocus

InnFocus Inc.’s MicroShunt glaucoma drainage implant is designed to reduce intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients. President and CEO Russell Trenary explained that the implant is made from a revolutionary and highly biocompatible material that is ultra-stable and does not degrade. In the past year, InnFocus has been conducting the first randomized controlled study against trabeculectomy,…

ForSight VISION5

ForSight VISION5 Inc. CEO John Maroney discussed his company’s novel, non-invasive insert system, Helios. Placed on the surface of the eye, under the eyelid, Helios enables glaucoma and ocular hypertensive patients to continually receive medication (such as “the drug of choice” prostaglandin A), eliminating their need to regularly administer eye drops. Results from a Phase…

Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH

Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH is developing a patient-operated, hand-held system, which works with an implantable micro sensor capable of measuring absolute intraocular pressure continuously or on demand. Company Co-founder and General Manager Max G. Ostermeier, MBA, explained that after the patient takes the measurement, the device sends the IOP data via GSM/modem to the patient’s…

IOPtima

Ronen Castro, CEO of Israeli company IOPtima Ltd., introduced the CLASS (CO2 Laser-Assisted Sclerectomy Surgery) procedure for glaucoma, which has results comparable to trabeculectomy, but is non-invasive. This was the company’s first year for commercial activity. In March it secured CFDA approval in China, and in the fourth quarter of this year it begins initial…

Mati Therapeutics

Mati Therapeutics Inc. is an early-stage company addressing the massive glaucoma market. Founder and CEO Robert Butchofsky discussed the main challenges to all glaucoma-focused sustained drug delivery platforms, and described Mati’s solution: the Evolute minimally invasive, sustained-delivery platform, which uses punctum plugs to deliver drugs for ocular diseases, particularly glaucoma. Evolute will enter a Phase…

Device, Delivery, & Diagnostic Company Showcase

Chicago—The 6th Annual Ophthalmology Innovation Summit (OIS), held here prior to the annual American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) featured a plethora of intriguing early- to mid-stage companies focused in the medical devices arena. A regular presenter in past OIS meetings has been Tom Frinzi, President and CEO of WaveTec Vision (Aliso Viejo, California). Frinzi has…

Alcon’s George Shares Passion for Ophthalmology

Chicago— Jeff George, Global Head of Alcon Inc., introduced himself to the Ophthalmology Innovation Summit community with a far-ranging keynote address, “Accelerating Innovation in Ophthalmology.” Appointed to lead Alcon in May 2014, George — who had been an executive at Alcon’s parent company, Novartis — revealed that as a youngster he had very high myopia.…