Latest Industry News & Trends

Gene Therapies Make Progress Toward Goal of Restoring Sight

Gene therapies again generated buzz at the 2024 AAO meeting—as they have at recent meetings—but perhaps most exciting were reports of a treatment that could partially restore severe vision loss fro...

Zeiss Bolsters Launch of Micor 700 at AAO Meeting With US Surgeons Discussing Adoption

Carl Zeiss Meditec featured its Micor 700 at the 2024 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Chicago, Illinois, with presentations that included booth talks by select US surgeons who h...

Ophthalmology Continues to Draw Investors, Eyecelerator Meeting Shows; Retina Stands Out

Ophthalmology remains an appealing investment, driven largely by procedural growth. While hundreds of companies are working toward technology enhancements and innovative therapies, ophthalmology pr...

Preliminary Results Show Prima Implant Allows for Functional Vision in Advanced GA Patients

Science Corporation, of Alameda, California, reported Oct. 22 preliminary results that showed its Prima retinal implant allowed for functional vision in patients who had lost their central visual f...

ARPA-H Seeks Proposals for Tear Duct-Based Diagnostic System, Plus Custom Dosing Platform

ARPA-H announced Oct. 18 that it had launched a new program to develop a tear-based biomarker measurement system that can be inserted into the tear duct to provide continuous health monitoring, pai...

US FDA Asks for Added Data on Neurotech MacTel Candidate, Delays PDUFA Date

Neurotech Pharmaceuticals announced Nov. 8 that it had submitted additional data requested by the US FDA to support its biologic license application (BLA) for NT-501, an encapsulated cell therapy i...

US FDA Grants De Novo Classification to LumiThera’s System for Dry AMD

LumiThera announced Nov. 4 that the US FDA had granted market authorization through the de novo pathway for the Valeda photobio-modulation system for treatment of patients with dry age-related macu...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in October 2024

The US FDA granted four clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in October 2024, according to the agency’s database. Apple gained clearance for its Digital Prism ...

US FDA Accepts NDA For Lenz’ Presbyopia Drop Candidate

Lenz Therapeutics announced Oct. 21 that the US FDA had accepted its new drug application (NDA) for LNZ100, a once-daily, preservative-free eye drop candidate for presbyopia. The FDA assigned a Pre...

EyePoint Leads Latest Ophthalmic Fundraising with $161 Million Public Offering

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with a $161 million upsized underwritten public offering. Proceeds in part will fund clinical development of Duravyu. Financing an...

AI Discussions Surge at Eye Meetings with Aim to Allay Fears, Seek Use Cases

The explosive growth of artificial intelligence has generated both fear and excitement among many in the ophthalmic industry. As technology progresses, so do the conversations at major meetings, wi...

Office-Based Surgery Garners Enthusiasm at 2024 AAO Meeting

Several sessions at the 2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting highlighted the trend of office-based surgery (OBS) and the option of oral sedation among practitioners. The consensus among t...

AAO Puts FDA Deputy Director of Ophthalmology on the Hot Seat

William Boyd, MD, deputy director of ophthalmology at the US FDA’s Office of New Drugs, had a quick answer when asked to name the biggest unmet need in ophthalmology. “We need and want more therapi...

The New Opus Genetics Charts a Course to Gene Therapy Approval

Ben Yerxa, PhD, and George Magrath, MD, say they have a way out of the jungle in which ocular gene therapy development has been trapped since the US FDA approved Luxturna in 2017. “You have to be r...

Are Drugs for GA in the ‘Trough of Disillusionment’?

The celebrations and excitement that accompanied the launch in 2023 of the first two drugs approved in the US for the treatment geographic atrophy (GA) gave way to a hangover and regrets at the 202...

Weighing the Ophthalmic Impact of Boom in GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Treatment

Recent studies indicate that up to 6 percent of the US population is currently taking a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a class of drugs prescribed to help manage blood glucose levels for diabetes and weig...

New Trifocal IOLs Expected to Help the US Resume PC-IOL Growth

Bausch + Lomb’s enVista Envy and J&J Vision’s Odyssey are two new trifocal IOLs that were shown at the 2024 AAO meeting in Chicago. They are expected to help reverse the decline in trifocal IOL sal...

AAO and Eyecelerator Sessions Showcase Latest in Glaucoma Lasers and Surgical Devices

New glaucoma lasers and surgical devices were shown at various venues during the 2024 AAO meeting, including Glaucoma Subspecialty Day and the Eyecelerator meeting. There was also an important upda...

Alcon Looks to Refine Retinal Surgery with Unifeye, Unipexy

Alcon launched at the 2024 AAO meeting two new retinal surgical devices—Unifeye for air-gas exchange and Unipexy for retinopexy. Each is a one-person, hand-held, single-use gas delivery device. The...

Cornea and Eye Banking Forum Looks at Ways to Expand the Donor Pool

Expanding the donor pool was once again top of mind at the 2024 Cornea and Eye Banking Forum, held Oct. 18 in conjunction with the AAO meeting in Chicago, Illinois. The forum, supported by the Eye ...

AAO and Eyenuk Collaborate on AI-Driven DR Screening for Underserved Patients

Eyenuk and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) reported Oct. 16 that they had teamed up under the AAO’s EyeCare America program to provide eye disease screening for underserved communities ...

2025-2026 Ophthalmic Meetings Calendar

Market Scope regularly updates its list of ophthalmic meetings to keep the information current. Please contact us at matthewdouty@market-scope.com if we do not have your meeting listed. Thank you.

Private Practices Key to US Premium Cataract Surgery Market Dominance

The US represents only 5 percent of the global population in 2024, but it accounts for nearly 36 percent of the world’s premium cataract surgery (PCS) market revenue. The US has the latest premium ...

Haag-Streit’s Metis Poised to Join Innovation-Rich and Growing Advanced Microscopes Segment

Haag-Streit revealed its new Metis microscope at the 2024 European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) meeting and showcased it again at the 2024 AAO meeting. The Metis is specifica...

Clinical Trial Updates for Ophthalmic Candidates, November 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced clinical trial updates or milestone achievements.

NovaBay Accepts Higher Offer from PRN to Purchase Assets

NovaBay reported Nov. 6 that it had accepted a higher offer from PRN Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals, LLC, which revised its bid for NovaBay’s Avenova product line after a competing overture f...

Pine Stops Compounding IVT Avastin, Creating Concerns Over Shortage

Pine Pharmaceuticals, of Tonawanda, New York, stopped repackaging Avastin (bevacizumab) for ophthalmic use in October 2024, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Society o...

Emerging Companies Pursuing Ophthalmic Indications, November 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced new candidates to diagnose and treat eye disease.

November 2024 Ophthalmic News Briefs

Heidelberg Engineering announced Oct. 14 that the US FDA had granted 510(k) clearance to its Flex Module for the Spectralis diagnostic imaging platform. The Flex Module mounts the Spectralis to a m...

Michelle Tarver, MD, PhD, an Ophthalmologist, Named Director of FDA’s CDRH

Michelle E. Tarver, MD, PhD, has been named director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), after serving as acting director since July 2024. She is a board-certified ophth...

Weekly Poll of Surgeons and Eye Doctors, November 2024

First ASCRS Business Summit Breaks Down Premium Surgery’s Role in Practice Success

The first-ever ASCRS Business of Refractive Cataract Surgery (BRiCS) Summit was a two-day course designed to equip practices with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to boost their adoption of...

ESCRS Congress Boasts Record Attendance in Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain, hosted the ESCRS congress for the third time in the 42-year history of the meeting and set a record for the highest attendance to date. Nearly 17 thousand people registered, 60 pe...

EU Regulators Rain on Apellis’ Party at 2024 Euretina Congress

The big news at the 24th Euretina congress was something that didn’t happen at the congress. The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) embarrassed Apelli...

Zeiss Begins Broad US Rollout of Micor 700 for Phaco-less Cataract Surgery

Zeiss Medical Technology reported Sept. 26 that it had begun broad US distribution of the Micor 700, the first hand-held device to extract a crystalline lens in cataract surgery without the need fo...

Eyenovia Launches Clobetasol Drops for Postoperative Pain and Inflammation

Eyenovia announced Sept. 26 the US launch and commercial availability of clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension 0.05%, known as Clobetasol, for postoperative inflammation and pain following oc...

Orasis Leads Latest Ophthalmic Deals with $78 Million Financing

Orasis Pharmaceuticals led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with $78 million in Series D and structured capital to support the launch of Qlosi drops for presbyopia. Financing announced in the ...

AbbVie Withdraws EU Marketing Application for Durysta Implant for Glaucoma

Europe’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced Sept. 19 that AbbVie had withdrawn its marketing authorization application for the sustained-release glaucoma implant Duryst...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in September 2024

The US FDA granted two clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in September 2024, according to the agency’s database. Zeiss gained clearance for its combination Y...

NEI Researchers Identify Protein That Clears Cataracts in Animals

Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), working with counterparts in China, have discovered a reversible cataract response in hibernating squirrels that may point toward a nonsurgical trea...

Emerging Companies Pursuing Ophthalmic Indications, October 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced new candidates to diagnose and treat eye disease.

Aurion Biotech Launches Vyznova Corneal Cell Therapy in Japan

Aurion Biotech announced Sept. 24 that it had launched Vyznova (neltependocel), a cell therapy for bullous keratopathy of the cornea, in Japan. Japanese regulators approved Vyznova in March 2023. T...

Retina Specialists Grapple with Functional Endpoints in Clinical Trials

European regulators’ repeated rejection of Syfovre made one thing very clear to retina specialists at Euretina: “Treatment should have an impact on everyday function,” said Thomas Ach, MD (Germany)...

Retina Surgeons at European Meetings Ask, ‘What’s New?’

Experienced retina surgeons among the approximately 8.1 thousand attendees at Euretina in Barcelona, Spain, were underwhelmed by the surgical devices that industry had on display. “There is nothing...

First GA Therapies at Crossroads as EU Regulators Unconvinced Benefits Outweigh Risks

The negative opinion of Syfovre by a key EU regulatory committee has thrown the global marketing plans for complement inhibitors for GA into disarray. Two companies—Apellis Pharmaceuticals and Aste...

ESCRS iNovation Day Looks at MDR Roadblocks, Global Care Issues

The impact of Europe’s new Medical Device Regulation (MDR) on innovation sparked considerable discussion during the ESCRS iNovation Day. The meeting was held Sept. 6 in Barcelona, Spain, ahead of t...

ISOP Meeting Examines Importance of Patient Education and Predictable Outcomes

Patient selection, education, and communication were emphasized throughout the International Society of Presbyopia’s 16th annual conference. The meeting, held Sept. 5 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in ...

Sustainability: Walking the Walk or Talking the Talk?

Sustainability was a theme for multiple sessions at this year’s ESCRS congress, including one called “Sustainability Without Borders,” hosted by the ESCRS’ Young Ophthalmologists for Sustainability...

Investors Take Temperature of Ophthalmic Market at European Futures Forum

The 2024 Ophthalmology Futures European Forum reviewed the decline in ophthalmic deals in 2024 before offering presenting companies some guidance on how to advance their technology in such an envir...

Hyperopia Treatment Using Lenticule Extraction Showcased to Eager European Ophthalmologists

Dan Reinstein, MD (UK), shared during an overly full symposium at the 2024 ESCRS congress his experience using Zeiss’ SMILE lenticule extraction procedure to treat hyperopic patients. Zeiss is the ...

Cornea Surgeons Examine New Crosslinking Options and Old Debates

Farhad Hafezi, MD, PhD, FARVO (Switzerland), discussed at the 2024 ESCRS congress the goals of the second global consensus on keratoconus, being drafted in 2024. This consensus encompasses feedback...

ESCRS Congress Celebrates 75th Anniversary of First IOL Implantation

The 2024 ESCRS congress celebrated the 75th anniversary of Sir Harold Ridley, MD, implanting the first intraocular lens by telling his story and describing the developments that have occurred since...

2024 ESCRS Congress Puts Spotlight on Latest IOL Designs

New and recently launched IOLs took the spotlight in presentations and on the exhibit floor at the 2024 ESCRS congress. These lenses included the Rayner RayOne Galaxy trifocal, the BVI Serenity Mon...

ViaLase Releases Latest Glaucoma Laser Data at ESCRS Congress

Rick Lewis, MD, chief medical officer at ViaLase, provided an update at the 2024 ESCRS congress on the ViaLuxe glaucoma laser, including the system’s most recent clinical trial results. The ViaLuxe...

Bausch + Lomb Launches Octavius Topo-Guided Treatment at ESCRS Congress

Bausch + Lomb showcased its CE marked Octavius at the 2024 ESCRS Congress. Octavius is a new treatment mode on the Teneo excimer laser that uses data from multiple diagnostic platforms to provide a...

Clinical Trial Updates for Ophthalmic Candidates, October 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced clinical trial updates or milestone achievements.

Zeiss Invests $24 Million to Expand Production Site in Chesterfield, Missouri

German company Carl Zeiss Meditec opened a new state-of-the-art research and production facility on Oct. 1 in Chesterfield, Missouri, expanding its footprint in the city, which is part of the St. L...

Harrow to Add Nearly 150 Jobs as it Expands in Nashville, Relaunches Triesence

Harrow reported Sept. 25 that it is creating nearly 150 new jobs as it expands its corporate headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. The move follows the company increasing its total leased space in ...

Europe’s CHMP Recommends Two Aflibercept Biosimilars for Approval

Europe’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) issued positive opinions on Sept. 19 for two new aflibercept (Eylea) biosimilars—Afqlir from Swiss drugmaker Sandoz and Opuviz, which ...

FTC Sends More Than $1.1 Million to Consumers Misled by LCA-Vision Ads

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Oct. 3 that it was sending more than $1.1 million in settlement payments to consumers who were misled by deceptive bait-and-switch advertising by LCA-Vi...

October 2024 Ophthalmic News Briefs

Oculus has announced the addition of frequency doubling perimetry (FDP) to its Easyfield VR visual field diagnostic headset. The German ophthalmic diagnostic company, with US headquarters in Arling...

NovaBay to Sell Avenova Products for $9.5 Million as Part of Dissolution Plan

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals has agreed to sell its Avenova products to PRN Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals for $9.5 million in cash, the companies announced Sept. 20. The deal is expected to close...

Weekly Surgeon Poll, October 2024

FDA Names New Leaders at OPEQ and CDHR

Ross Segan, MD, MBA, FACS, has become director of the US FDA’s Office of Product Evaluation and Quality (OPEQ). The office, part of FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), oversees...

2024 World Ophthalmology Congress Draws Thousands to Vancouver

Nearly 3 thousand attendees from 127 countries participated in the 2024 World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC), the biennial meeting of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO). Over 500 attend...

Ophthalmic Company Revenue Up 2.6 Percent; Several Public Firms Report Record-High Quarters

Ophthalmic manufacturer revenue in Q2-2024 totaled $11.7 billion. Revenue increased 2.6 percent from the same quarter in 2023 and increased 5.9 percent from Q1-2024. The total includes Market Scope...

Ophthalmologists Report 0.5 Percent Increase in Q2-2024 Procedure Volume

US ophthalmologists reported that ophthalmic procedures increased 0.5 percent in Q2-2024 compared with the same quarter in 2023, according to Market Scope’s latest survey. Year-over-year performanc...

New Drugs for Exudative Retinal Disease Lift Companies Over Patent Cliffs

Roche faced an ophthalmic patent cliff in the US before Regeneron. First, Roche introduced an extended duration alternative to its flagship inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEG...

Zeiss Plans to Use Creal's Technology to Reimagine Refractive Exams

Zeiss will integrate Swiss company Creal’s light field display technology into its refractive diagnostic equipment under a collaboration agreement, the two companies reported Sept. 10. Creal descri...

Injectsense Reports First Human Implantation of Ultraminiature IOP Sensor

Injectsense, of Emeryville, California, announced Aug. 27 that it had implanted its first ultraminiature wireless sensor for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP). Glaucoma specialist Juan Mura, MD,...

EC Approves SIFI’s Akantior Drops for Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Italy’s SIFI announced Aug. 26 that the European Commission had approved Akantior (polihexanide 0.08%) drops for the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a parasitic infection of the eye, in p...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in August 2024

The US FDA granted four clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in August 2024, according to the agency’s database. Notably, newcomer Intelon Optics received clea...

Meet with Market Scope at the 2024 AAO Meeting

Market Scope will be exhibiting at the 2024 AAO meeting, set for Oct. 18-21 at McCormick Place in Chicago. We will be located at Booth 4903. Contact us to set up a time to discuss any custom resear...

Ophthalmologists Compare Myopia Interventions at WOC as Prevalence Soars

Myopia—especially progression of myopia—is getting increased attention from industry and physicians, as evidenced by the sheer number of studies published on the topic. Additionally, data showing h...

Ophthalmologists Address Challenges of Ocular Trauma During WOC Sessions

Eleven sessions, 52 presentations, and numerous posters at the 2024 World Ophthalmology Congress were dedicated to ocular traumas and emergencies. Conflict zones present ophthalmologists and manufa...

WOC Sessions Raise Concerns Over Physician Health as Burnout Increases

Ron Adelman, MD, MPH, MBA (US), shared findings at the 2024 World Ophthalmology Congress from a study that evaluated the level of burnout among ophthalmologists in the Philippines. Results showed t...

ONL Leads Latest Ophthalmic Fundraising with $65M Series D Round

ONL Therapeutics led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with a $65 million Series D round to continue advancing its small-molecule Fas inhibitor for retinal disease. Financing announced in the p...

Oculis Shuts Down Phase III Trial of OCS-01 Due to Third-Party Administrative Error

Swiss company Oculis reported Aug. 27 in its Q2-2024 financial statement that it was shutting down the Phase III OPTIMIZE-2 trial of its OCS-01 eye drop candidate for postsurgical inflammation and ...

Visiox to Merge with Ocuvex to Advance Two Ophthalmic Drug Candidates

Visiox Pharmaceuticals announced Aug. 19 that it had agreed to merge with Ocuvex Therapeutics, a privately held company in New Hyde Park, New York. A Visiox news release said Ocuvex has a pipeline ...

Revenio’s iCare Subsidiary Acquires AI Screening Company Thirona Retina

Finland’s Revenio Group announced Aug. 20 that its iCare subsidiary had assumed ownership of the Dutch artificial intelligence (AI) software company Thirona Retina. iCare had made a minority invest...

OcuDyne Reports Positive Pilot Study Results Using Ophthalmic Artery Angioplasty in GA

OcuDyne, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, reported Sept. 9 that it had successfully completed a pilot study using its Optic System to perform ophthalmic artery angioplasty in patients with geographic a...

Emerging Companies Pursuing Ophthalmic Indications, September 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced new candidates to diagnose and treat eye disease.

Light Control May Prevent Eye Damage in Premature Infants, Study Shows

A study in mice at the Science of Light Center at Cincinnati Children’s shows that lighting conditions can change how newborn eyes develop, with darkness fostering the development of more rods, the...

Clinical Trial Updates for Ophthalmic Candidates, September 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced clinical trial updates or milestone achievements.

Precision Lens and Estate of Paul Ehlen to Pay US $12M over Kickbacks

Minnesota-based ophthalmic distributor Precision Lens and the estate of co-founder Paul Ehlen have agreed to pay the US government $12 million to resolve a case involving kickback payments in vario...

Six States Sue Regeneron over Eylea Drug Price Reporting

The attorneys general for Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington have filed suit in federal district court against Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, claiming the drugmaker infl...

September 2024 Ophthalmic News Briefs

Bausch + Lomb is working with Goldman Sachs to explore a sale of the company, the Financial Times reported Sept. 14, with private equity the most likely buyer. The move is being evaluated as a way ...

Weekly Surgeon Poll, September 2024

Livionex’ Cataract Drop Candidate to Advance After New Analysis of Study Results

A new analysis of 2008 clinical study data has given a boost to Livionex’ topical drop candidate for cataracts, the John Moran Eye Center reported Aug. 16. The drop, called C-KAD, is a formulation ...

Zeiss Plans to Use Creal's Technology to Reimagine Refractive Exams

Zeiss will integrate Swiss company Creal’s light field display technology into its refractive diagnostic equipment under a collaboration agreement, the two companies reported Sept. 10. Creal descri...

European Five Market Expected to Grow, Despite MDR Delays

Device makers’ added costs for compliance with the new Medical Device Regulation (MDR) in the European Union (EU) will likely affect the mix of ophthalmic products and companies in the region. Howe...

Wnt Agonists and Optogenetics Create Excitement at 2024 ASRS Meeting in Sweden

Impressive new science and challenging business conditions topped the discussions at the American Society of Retina Specialists’ 2024 annual meeting. The conference took place July 17-20 in Stockho...

Steady Growth Expected in Single-Use Surgical Products, Even With Push to Cut OR Waste

Environmental sustainability programs have grown in scope over the last five years, with major ophthalmic surgery associations joining forces to propose specific actions to reduce the carbon footpr...

Private Equity Ownership of Surgery Centers Continues to Gain Share, Survey Shows

Private equity (PE) investment in ophthalmic practices continues to expand, even as debates over the pros and cons of these investments increase, too. For some practices that were hit hard by COVID...

Ocumension Acquires Rights to Alcon Eye Drops in Exchange for Equity Stake

China’s Ocumension Therapeutics announced Aug. 13 that it would acquire or secure Chinese rights to a portfolio of Alcon dry eye treatments and procedural drops. In exchange, Ocumension will issue ...

Lensar Ends Collaboration with Oertli for Phaco Portion of Ally Cataract System

Lensar has terminated its collaboration agreement with Swiss company Oertli, according to a filing Aug. 5 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The two had been developing the Ally Adapti...

NEI Would Fold into Another NIH Institute Under Lawmaker’s Proposed Restructuring

The status of the National Eye Institute (NEI) as a separate unit within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) would come to an end under a proposal by a US House committee chair to consolidate t...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in July 2024

The US FDA granted two clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in July 2024, according to the agency’s database. Topcon gained clearance for its Maestro2 OCT in c...

MeiraGTx Leads Latest Ophthalmic Fundraising with $50 Million Offering

MeiraGTx led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with a $50 million offering of ordinary shares as it moves forward with its extensive pipeline of gene therapy candidates. Financing announced in ...

ViaLase Gains CE Marking for Femtosecond Laser for Glaucoma Treatment

ViaLase announced July 30 that the European Union had granted CE marking for its ViaLase Laser for the treatment of adults with primary open-angle glaucoma. The system uses an OCT-guided femtosecon...

OHSU Researchers Discover Link Between Proteins in Tears, Pain After Eye Surgery

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) say they have discovered a connection between postsurgical ocular pain and levels of certain proteins found in patients’ tears. Some patient...

Meet with Market Scope at the 2024 ESCRS Congress

Market Scope will be exhibiting at the 2024 ESCRS congress, which is Sept. 6-10 in Barcelona, Spain. We will be located at Stand 6.D12. Contact us to set up a time to discuss any custom research ne...

Physician With Blepharospasm Fights MACs’ Proposed Limits on Botulinum Toxin Injections

Patients with blepharospasm, a rare ophthalmic disease, are facing a proposal by five of the seven Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) to limit the botulinum toxin injections that control th...

Clinical Trial Updates for Ophthalmic Candidates, August 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced clinical trial updates or milestone achievements.

Emerging Companies Pursuing Ophthalmic Indications, August 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced new candidates to diagnose and treat eye disease.

USC Alums Gift Eye Care Practice to Roski Eye Institute

Richard Weise, MD, and his wife, Cathy, have gifted their ophthalmic practice, the Glendale Eye Medical Group, of Glendale, California, to the USC Roski Eye Institute, the university announced July...

Weekly Surgeon Poll, August 2024

Renowned Charity HCP Cureblindness Rebrands as Cure Blindness Project

HCP Cureblindness has rebranded as the Cure Blindness Project, the group announced July 29. The move is designed to better reflect the eye charity’s expanded geographical footprint and commitment t...

August 2024 Ophthalmic News Briefs

Ireland-based Mallinckrodt announced Aug. 6 that its H.P. Acthar Gel single-dose prefilled SelfJect injector was available in the US. The US FDA approved the supplemental new drug application for t...

2024 Octane Meeting Delves Into Practice Management Issues

The 2024 Octane Ophthalmology Tech Forum changed up its program from previous years, putting more focus on practice management and moving to a new location: the VEA Newport Beach, in Newport Beach,...

Multitude of Novel Glaucoma Surgery Devices to Drive Procedure Growth

The goal of a growing number of companies entering the already crowded glaucoma device market is to provide surgical treatment options with greater safety and effectiveness. Thirty-six products are...

Q2-2024 Ophthalmic Deals Total More Than $1.6 Billion, Include One Strategic Purchase

Ophthalmic deals in Q2-2024 reached over $1.6 billion and involved 19 transactions. This compares with $7.0 billion from 25 transactions in Q2-2023 and $2.0 billion from 17 transactions in Q1-2024....

Digital Enhancements Reshape $3.7 Billion Ophthalmic Diagnostic Equipment Market

Ongoing investments in digital products designed to enhance ophthalmic diagnostic equipment and associated outputs are signaling a shift away from the fast-paced equipment releases of the early 200...

Market Scope Appoints Kristen Harmon Ingenito as CEO

Market Scope announced July 11 that Kristen Harmon Ingenito, MBA, had been appointed chief executive officer. Dave Harmon, founder of Market Scope, will serve as chief financial officer and data se...

EssilorLuxottica Acquires Majority Stake in Diagnostics Maker Heidelberg 

Eyewear conglomerate EssilorLuxottica announced July 17 that it had agreed to acquire an 80 percent stake in Heidelberg Engineering, a leader in ophthalmic diagnostic imaging. Financial details wer...

IOP-Lowering Goggles Developed by John Berdahl, MD, Gain De Novo Certification for Marketing

Balance Ophthalmics has gained US FDA de novo classification for its FSYX Ocular Pressure Adjusting Pump (FSYX OPAP) system, a goggles and pump system designed to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) i...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in June 2024

The US FDA granted four clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in June 2024, according to the agency’s database. Alcon gained clearance for its much-anticipated ...

Beacon Leads Latest Ophthalmic Fundraising with $170 Million in Series B

Beacon Therapeutics led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with $170 million in Series B funding to advance its candidates for retinal disease. Financing announced in the past four weeks totaled...

ANI to Acquire Alimera Sciences, Maker of Iluvien and Yutiq, for $381 Million

ANI Pharmaceuticals announced June 24 that it would acquire Alimera Sciences, maker of Iluvien and Yutiq, in a deal worth $381 mil-lion up front. The deal is expected to close in late Q3-2024, the ...

Ophthalmic Chain in Colorado Closing All Six Clinics, Citing COVID-19 Financial Fallout

Rocky Mountain Eye Center, based in Pueblo, Colorado, announced on its website that it will close all of its six clinics on July 31, saying the practice was unable to recover from the financial fal...

Bausch + Lomb Adds Dry Eye Supplement to Fast-Growing Consumer Segment

Bausch + Lomb is expanding its fast-growing consumer segment with the launch of a nutritional supplement to combat the signs and symptoms of dry eye. The supplement is called Blink NutriTears. The ...

Emerging Companies Pursuing Ophthalmic Indications, July 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced new candidates to diagnose and treat eye disease.

Ophthalmic Devices to be Included in FDA TAP Accelerator Program

The US FDA announced July 1 that it was expanding its TAP pilot program in October to include ophthalmic devices, as well as radiological health devices. The voluntary program, officially named the...

Clinical Trial Updates for Ophthalmic Candidates, July 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced clinical trial updates or milestone achievements.

Blinking Boosts Visual Perception Rather than Hindering It, Study Shows

Researchers at the University of Rochester have found that blinking plays a critical role in visual perception, in addition to maintaining eye health. Their research was published in April 2024 in ...

Medicare Advantage Insurers Make Millions Off Ophthalmic Diagnoses They Add to Patient Records, WSJ Reports

Private insurers involved in the US Medicare Advantage program added hundreds of thousands of questionable diagnoses, including those for diabetic cataracts, to patient records in recent years to b...

MST Offers Diamond Knife Subscription Service in Move to Curb Waste

MicroSurgical Technology (MST) has launched a diamond knife subscription service for US ophthalmologists. The Redmond, Washington, company kicked off the service in April at the 2024 meeting of the...

Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD, Corneal Research Pioneer and Inventor of the Boston KPro, Dies at 101

Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD, considered by many to be the father of modern corneal science, died July 14, Massachusetts Eye and Ear announced in a press release. He was 101. Dohlman, who was born in ...

Genentech to Reintroduce Susvimo for Wet AMD, Ending Voluntary Recall

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced July 8 that it was reintroducing Susvimo, a refillable ranibizumab intravitreal implant for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the US, e...

US FDA Approves Vabysmo Prefilled Syringe for Wet AMD, DME, and RVO Indications

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced July 5 that the US FDA had approved the Vabysmo (faricimab-svoa) 6.0 mg single-dose prefilled syringe for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD...

Weekly Surgeon Poll, July 2024

July 2024 Ophthalmic News Briefs

Bausch + Lomb announced July 23 that it had acquired dry eye diagnostic company Trukera Medical from its private equity owner, AccelMed Partners, and other shareholders. No financial details were d...

Volume-Based Procurement Could Upend China’s IOL Market

Alcon offered big discounts in China’s public sector centralized volume-based procurement (VBP) cycle for intraocular lenses (IOLs). The company’s low bids in seven of the eight bidding categories ...

Eye Banking Meeting Celebrates Successful Transplants, Looks at Needs Going Forward

Attendees at the 2024 Eye Banking Association of America (EBAA) meeting celebrated many achievements and milestones across the eye banking profession and transplant community in general, as 2023 ma...

Ophthalmologists Report 6 Percent Decline in Q1-2024 Procedure Volume

US ophthalmologists reported that ophthalmic procedures decreased 6.0 percent in Q1-2024 compared with the same quarter in 2023, according to Market Scope’s latest survey. Year-over-year performanc...

Ophthalmic Company Revenue Totals $11 Billion, a Drop of 0.2 Percent, in Q1-2024

Ophthalmic manufacturer revenue in Q1-2024 totaled $11.0 billion. Revenue decreased 0.2 percent from the same quarter in 2023 and dropped 1.7 percent from Q4-2023. The total includes Market Scope e...

Innovations on Horizon are Expected to Rejuvenate Cataract Equipment Market

Signs of innovation and renewal can be found in all segments of the cataract equipment market, despite evidence that the market has become mature. Innovation looms in next-generation ultrasonic pha...

Skye Drops Glaucoma Program After Phase IIa Failure, Shifts Focus to Obesity

Skye Bioscience reported June 10 that it was discontinuing its ophthalmology program after its synthetic cannabinoid derivative SBI-100, a glaucoma drop candidate, failed to meet its Phase IIa prim...

EU Regulators Approve Outlook’s Lytenava (Bevacizumab) for Wet AMD

Outlook Therapeutics announced May 28 that the European Commission had granted marketing authorization for Lytenava, an ophthalmic formulation of bevacizumab for the treatment of wet age-related ma...

Nordic Pharma Launches Lacrifill Canalicular Gel for Dry Eye in US

Nordic Pharma announced May 29 that it had launched Lacrifill canalicular gel for dry eye in the US. Lacrifill is a cross-linked hyaluronic acid derivative intended to temporarily block tear draina...

SIFI’s Acanthamoeba Keratitis Eye Drop Candidate Gains Positive CHMP Opinion

Italy’s SIFI announced May 31 that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency recommended approval of Akantior (polihexanide 0.08%) for the treatment...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in May 2024

The US FDA granted six clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in May 2024, according to the agency’s database. Reichert gained market clearance for its new hand-...

COVID-19 Virus Crosses Blood-Retinal Barrier, Researchers at University of Missouri Find

The virus that causes COVID-19 can breach the blood-retinal barrier, with potential long-term consequences for eye health, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discover...

Eversight Partners with LighTopTech to Improve Imaging of Eye Tissues

Global nonprofit eye bank Eversight announced June 5 a four-year partnership with LighTopTech to improve imaging for eye tissues in clinical and research settings. Eversight will integrate LighTopT...

BioTissue Introduces Shelf-Stable CAM360 AmnioGraft for Dry Eye, Other Disorders

BioTissue announced June 3 that it was launching the CAM360 AmnioGraft, a new hydrated, shelf-stable cryopreserved amniotic membrane product for mild to moderate dry eye and other ocular surface di...

Low-Dose Aspirin Shows No Effect in Incidence, Progression of AMD

An analysis of more than 3,100 older adults, published May 23 in JAMA Ophthalmology, showed that low-dose aspirin taken for three years did not affect the incidence or progression of age-related ma...

Apellis Reports Syfovre Preserved Visual Function at 36 Months in Extension Study

Apellis Pharmaceuticals reported June 10 that Syfovre (pegcetacoplan injection), its treatment for geographic atrophy (GA), preserved visual function at 36 months in the GALE long-term extension st...

Bausch + Lomb Receives Health Canada Approval for EnVista Envy Trifocal IOL

Bausch + Lomb announced May 28 that Health Canada had approved the enVista Envy trifocal intraocular lens (IOL). It’s the first approval for the new lens. The Envy was expected to be available in C...

Clinical Trial Updates for Ophthalmic Candidates, June 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced clinical trial updates or milestone achievements.

Surgeons, Societies Respond to MACs’ New Proposed MIGS Limits

Surgeons and ophthalmic societies worked together at open meetings in June to address five Medicare administrative contractors’ latest proposal to limit coverage of minimally invasive glaucoma surg...

Opthea Leads Latest Fundraising with $113.2M Placement, Entitlement Offer

Opthea led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with a $113.2 million placement and entitlement offer, as it continues to advance its wet AMD candidate. Financing announced in the past four weeks ...

Merck to Acquire Retinal Drug Developer EyeBio in Deal Worth up to $3 Billion

Merck, of Rahway, New Jersey, announced May 29 that it was acquiring Eyebiotech Limited (EyeBio) for an upfront payment of $1.3 billion and up to $1.7 billion in future milestone payments. The deal...

Emerging Companies Pursuing Ophthalmic Indications, June 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced new candidates to diagnose and treat eye disease.

Weekly Surgeon Poll, June 2024

June 2024 Ophthalmic News Briefs

Japan’s Nidek announced June 3 that it had launched the RS-1 Glauvas OCT system. The device is CE marked as a Class IIa device. Nidek said the RS-1 Glauvas’ streamlined workflow and advanced analyt...

Champalimaud Vision Award Recognizes Eye Hospital Serving Gaza and West Bank

A sparsely attended Champalimaud Vision Award Lecture at the 2024 ARVO meeting highlighted the work of St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital in Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Leonor Beleza, presi...

2024 ARVO Meeting Sets Attendance Record, Showcases Novel Treatment Approaches

The 2024 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology set a record as the largest ARVO meeting ever. The 11,631 registered attendees passed the old record of 10,224 set in Va...

Researcher, Patient Guide Next Stage for a Wireless Intracortical Visual Prosthesis

Philip Troyk, PhD, and Brian Bussard are unsung heroes of the multi-decade effort to give blind people artificial vision by means of cortical implants. They want more people to join them. Troyk, a ...

Seattle and Phoenix Among top US Metros for Potential Growth in Premium IOL Surgery

US cataract procedures in general are driven by the over-65 population, but the premium surgery rate is fueled by a subset of comparatively affluent and healthy adults within this population. Under...

Alcon to Acquire Glaucoma Laser Company Belkin Vision for up to $335M

Alcon is acquiring Israel’s Belkin Vision, maker of the Eagle laser for glaucoma, for up to $335 million, according to reports. The value of the transaction was first estimated in a story dated May...

US FDA Grants De Novo Authorization to Notal Vision’s Scanly AI-Powered Home OCT

Notal Vision announced May 16 that the US FDA had granted de novo marketing authorization for its patient-operated Scanly home optical coherence tomography (OCT) device. The Scanly uses artificial ...

RxSight Leads Latest Ophthalmic Fundraising with $115 Million Public Offering

RxSight led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with a $115 million public offering to continue commercialization of its Light Adjustable Lens portfolio. Financing announced in the past four week...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in April 2023

The US FDA granted two clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in April 2024, according to the agency’s database. Topcon received 510(k) clearance for its Maestro...

US FDA Approves First Interchangeable Biosimilars to Eylea

The FDA announced May 20 that it had approved the US’ first interchangeable biosimilars to Eylea (aflibercept)— Yesafili, from India’s Biocon Biologics, and Opuviz, which was jointly developed by B...

California-Based Science Corporation Acquires Pixium Vision’s Prima Implant

Science Corporation, of Alameda, California, reported April 25 that it had acquired the IP and related assets for the Prima retinal implant, developed by Pixium Vision SA, of France. Terms of the d...

Emerging Companies Pursuing Ophthalmic Indications, May 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced new candidates to diagnose and treat eye disease.

Euretina President Ramin Tadayoni, MD, PhD, Dies at 54

The European Society of Retina Specialists, or Euretina, reported April 20 that its president, retina specialist Ramin Tadayoni, MD, PhD, had died. He was 54. Tadayoni was attending the Brazilian R...

Xbrane, Stada Partner with Valorum to Commercialize Ranibizumab Biosimilar in US

Partners Xbrane Biopharma, of Sweden, and Germany’s Stada announced May 10 that they had entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with biosimilar company Valorum Biologics to market their rani...

Ophthalmic Companies Use ARVO Meeting to Boost Research

Many companies participate in ARVO’s annual meeting to catch the attention of external researchers and propel their research program or clinical trials forward. Two such companies in 2024 were John...

Artificial Intelligence Takes Leading Role at 2024 ARVO Meeting

Artificial intelligence was a prominent topic at the 2024 ARVO meeting. Discussions ranged from using AI in published ophthalmic research to employing it in early detection and monitoring of eye di...

2024 ARVO Awards Highlight New Focus on Inflammation

The Weisenfeld and Cogan awards and lectures at the 2024 ARVO meeting put a spotlight on inflammation. Martine Jager, MD, PhD (Netherlands), received the Weisenfeld Award in recognition of her pion...

Clinical Trial Updates for Ophthalmic Candidates, May 2024

Market Scope is tracking companies that have announced clinical trial updates or milestone achievements.

Sight Sciences Announces $34 Million Jury Verdict in Patent Infringement Case

Sight Sciences, of Menlo Park, California, reported April 29 that it had received a $34 million jury trial verdict in its patent infringement case against Ivantis and acquirer Alcon. The suit, file...

New Topcon Healthcare CEO, Latest Partnerships Stress Focus on ‘Oculomics’

Topcon Healthcare announced April 26 that it had appointed Ali Tafreshi as CEO and president. The company said Tafreshi will lead the company’s focus on “oculomics”—diagnosing not just eye disease ...

Weekly Surgeon and Industry Poll, May 2024

May 2024 Ophthalmic News Briefs

Taiwan-based Formosa Pharmaceuticals announced May 9 that it had entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Tabuk Pharmaceuticals to market clobetasol propionate 0.05% eye drops for post-su...

New Products Set Upbeat Tone for ASCRS Meeting; Attendance Remains a Concern

New product launches created high surgeon interest at the 2024 meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), but the overall mood of the conference was tempered somewh...

Second Shake-up May be Underway in the Glaucoma Pharmaceuticals Market

Allergan and Novartis replaced Merck and Pfizer at the top of the glaucoma pharmaceuticals market a decade ago. Now it could be their turn to pass the baton. Allergan, acquired by AbbVie in 2020 an...

Retinal Pharmaceutical Transactions Drive Ophthalmic Deals in First Quarter of 2024

Ophthalmic deals in Q1-2024 reached over $2.1 billion and involved 20 transactions. This compares with $2.0 billion from 17 transactions in Q1-2023 and $570 million from 12 transactions in Q4-2023....

Refractive Atlas Uncovers Pockets of High Opportunity in Des Moines, Syracuse

Refractive procedures in general are driven by the country’s millennial and older Generation Z populations, but the surgery rate is driven by a subset of comparatively educated, affluent, and healt...

Viatris, Ocuphire Announce US Launch of Ryzumvi to Reverse Pupil Dilation

Viatris and Ocuphire Pharma announced April 1 the US launch of Ryzumvi (phentolamine ophthalmic solution) 0.75% for the reversal of pharmacologically induced mydriasis. The US FDA approved Ryzumvi ...

Japanese IOL Maker Hoya Halts Production After Cyberattack

Japanese intraocular lens maker Hoya reported on April 4 that production of several of its products had stopped after a computer system failure, “most likely caused by unauthorized access” to its s...

iDose, Eylea HD, Izervay Get J-Codes for Billing Payers in the US

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued J-codes for Glaukos’ iDose, Regeneron’s Eylea HD, and Astellas Pharma’s Izervay. The code for iDose takes effect July 1, 2024, while ...

Lenz Reports Positive Topline Phase III Data in Presbyopia, Plans NDA Submission in Mid-2024

Lenz Therapeutics reported April 3 positive topline results from its Phase III CLARITY trials of LNZ100 and LNZ101 for presbyopia. LNZ100 and LNZ101 are preservative free, single-use, once-daily ey...

Select US FDA Approvals and Clearances in March 2024

The US FDA granted three clearances through the ophthalmic device division using the 510(k) pathway in March 2024, according to the agency’s database. Cylite received clearance for its HP-OCT. The ...

Ophthalmic Bevacizumab Candidate from Outlook Gains Positive CHMP Opinion

Outlook Therapeutics announced March 22 that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) had issued a positive opinion recommending approval of ONS-5010 (L...

Outlook Leads Latest Ophthalmic Fundraising with $164M in Private Placements

Retinal drug developer Outlook Therapeutics led recent ophthalmic fundraising efforts with two private placements, for proceeds totaling $164 million. Financing announced in the past four weeks tot...

Warburg Pincus Buys Controlling Stake in India’s Appasamy

US-based private equity firm Warburg Pincus and Appasamy Associates announced April 10 that Warburg had bought a controlling stake in the Indian ophthalmic company. Financial details were not discl...

ABVC BioPharma Sells Global Rights to Vitreous Substitute to ForSeeCon Eye for $30 Million Up Front

ABVC BioPharma announced March 26 that it had agreed to license its ophthalmology pipeline, including the vitreous substitute candidate Vitargus, to ForSeeCon Eye. ABVC, of Fremont, California, say...

Study Attempts to Clarify Best Fit for Vyzulta

Constance Okeke, MD, is helping to clear the confusion that can come from having multiple choices. “There are so many medicines coming into glaucoma that it can be difficult for a clinician to know...

US FDA Backs Call to Eliminate Interchangeability Designation for Biosimilars

A US FDA official has expressed support for measures before Congress to remove the interchangeability designation for biosimilars, claiming that the two-tier system is only causing confusion. It ca...

ASCRS Marks 50 Years with Look Back at Cataract Surgery in 1974

The ASCRS commemorated its 50th anniversary at its 2024 annual meeting by re-creating an ophthalmologist’s office and surgery suite from the 1970s in the exhibit hall. The display served as a remin...

J&J Vision Launches Tecnis Odyssey PC-IOL at 2024 ASCRS Meeting

Johnson & Johnson Vision launched and touted the Tecnis Odyssey presbyopia-correcting IOL at a number of venues at the 2024 ASCRS meeting. Blake Williamson, MD, and Priya Matthews, MD, described J&...

RxSight Launches the LAL+ IOL with Large ASCRS Program

RxSight continued to build momentum for its post-op adjustable IOL with a big presence at the 2024 ASCRS meeting, including an Eyecelerator presentation on the new LAL+ and 14 speaker sessions at t...

Rayner and Carl Zeiss Meditec Display Recently Acquired Phaco Machines

The US ultrasonic cataract machine market has been dominated by Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, and Johnson & Johnson for more than a decade, so it’s unusual to learn of a new phaco machine being launched by...

Slade’s Steinert Lecture Bolsters Value of Refractive Lens Exchange

Stephen Slade, MD, promoted the value of refractive lens exchange (RLE) during the Steinert Lecture at the 2024 ASCRS meeting’s Refractive Subspecialty Day. RLE is an elective procedure that remove...

ASCRS Meeting Showcases New Lenticule Extraction Platforms

Lenticule extraction (LE) continues to advance as new platforms come to the market. The 2024 ASCRS meeting showcased improved LE features that have enhanced the patient and surgeon experience. Doct...

Rise of DMEK Highlights Need for Corneal Endothelial Therapies

Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) has become the most common keratoplasty procedure performed domestically, according to a statistical report by the Eye Bank Association of Americ...

Dry Eye Screening Before Surgery Seems Logical, but Hurdles Remain

The need to continue lobbying for dry eye evaluation prior to patients undergoing anterior segment surgery is somewhat baffling. Such testing seems like an obvious approach for the many patients wh...

Digital Solutions are Underlying Theme at 2024 ASCRS Meeting

The ASCRS conference was a hub of diagnostic innovation and collaboration, despite the absence of a designated “Digital Day,” as provided at the 2023 meeting. Discussions on the integration of digi...