The FDA has sent a complete response letter to Valeant Pharmaceuticals regarding the new drug application for the Bausch + Lomb latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution 0.024% product called Vyzulta.The investigational single-agent IOP-lowering eye dro…
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Swept-source OCT protocol may limit prone position time after macular hole surgery
A swept-source OCT imaging protocol helped reduce the prone position time of patients undergoing vitrectomy without reopening the macular hole, according to a study.Compared with conventional fundus examinations by indirect ophthalmoscopy, patients imaged with SS-OCT experienced statistically significantly less time in the prone position before macular hole closure. Researchers studied 129 eyes of 125 consecutive patients with macular hole who had undergone vitrectomy. The prone position was halted by a surgeon’s decision in 69 eyes of 66 patients in the conventional group, while it was halted after SS-OCT detected closure (Read more...)
Guardion Health Sciences completes Series B funding
Guardion Health Sciences announced it has completed a Series B funding round with $3.1 million raised, according to a company press release.The money is to be used in accelerating expansion of the company’s operations, implementing its sales and marketing strategy, and completing development of products in its pipeline, the release said.
Alimera sees second quarter revenue increase
Alimera Sciences had an increase in consolidated net revenue of 8% to $10.4 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared with $9.6 million in the second quarter of 2016. U.S. revenue increased from $7.2 million to $8.1 million, driven by higher sales…
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Visualization during surgery continues to evolve
Intraoperative OCT is showing promise as a useful adjunct, especially in vitrectomy and lamellar keratoplasty. However, indications are limited, as vitrectomy only represents about 2% of ophthalmic surgical procedures in the U.S., or about 250,000 procedures per year. Endothelial and lamellar anterior keratoplasty represent only 0.25% of procedures, or about 30,000 per year.In vitrectomy, early adopter surgeons are finding intraoperative OCT helpful when peeling epiretinal membranes and treating other vitreoretinal interface pathologies. Intraoperative OCT can help differentiate retinoschisis from retinal detachment. It is also potentially helpful in select surgical procedures (Read more...)
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Real-time imaging adds interactive dimension to vitreoretinal, surgery training
First introduced in the early 1990s, OCT is a noninvasive imaging technique that obtains high-resolution, cross-sectional images of the retina and other ophthalmic tissues.In recent years, this technology has transitioned from being only available in t…
Intraretinal cystoid fluid height may predict functional improvement
Height of intraretinal cystoid fluid served as a better predictor of functional and anatomical outcomes than central retinal thickness in patients treated with ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema, according to a study.Researchers conducted a post ho…
Allergan reports Q2 net revenue increase
Allergan reported its second quarter 2017 operations performance, including total net revenues of $4 billion, which was a 9% increase from the same quarter a year earlier.The revenue growth was driven by Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) and the Juvederm (inj…
5 pieces of social media advice for medical students
In this guest commentary, Angela Showell, social media and public affairs manager at Thomas Jefferson University and former associate director of electronic communications at Temple University, discusses some best practice measures for medical students’ social media use .
Johnson & Johnson Vision to acquire TearScience
Johnson & Johnson Vision announced it will acquire TearScience through Abbott Medical Optics, its surgical vision operating company, according to a company press release.Financial terms of the acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of the year, were not disclosed.
SalutarisMD launches trial of brachytherapy treatment for wet AMD
A clinical trial of an ophthalmic brachytherapy device for neovascular age-related macular degeneration has been launched, according to a press release from Salutaris Medical Devices. The trial will study the safety, surgeon ease of use and tolerabilit…
FDA gives orphan drug designation for retinitis pigmentosa gene therapy
The FDA has given orphan drug designation to a gene therapy product intended for treatment of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, Applied Genetic Technologies Corp. announced in a press release.The drug candidate, which is intended specifically to treat X-l…
Spark Therapeutics announces public offering of common stock
Spark Therapeutics will offer $300 million in shares of common stock, according to a company press release.Underwriters will be granted an option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the shares of common stock offered in the public offering at the pu…
Medical marijuana uptake hinges on physician training, best practices
Since California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, 28 states have followed suit, increasing the number of patients that physicians encounter who wish to utilize medical marijuana – or who already do. This makes it increasingly important for physicians to be aware of their states’ laws and infrastructure that relate to medical marijuana use. This July, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced the creation of a practitioner registry for physicians who intend to recommend medical marijuana. It is the most recent development in an ongoing process (Read more...)
Second Sight posts lower net loss in second quarter
Second Sight Medical Products reported a net loss of $6.8 million, or $0.12 per share, in the second quarter of 2017 compared with a net loss of $8.5 million, or $0.23 per share, in the second quarter of last year, according to a press release.Total re…
Silicone oil may help manage retinal detachment associated with endophthalmitis
Silicone oil may be a useful adjunct during initial or subsequent treatment in patients who have endophthalmitis and concurrent or delayed-onset retinal detachment, according to a study.Two groups of patients with endophthalmitis and retinal detachment…
Aerie reports $28.4 million net loss in second quarter
Aerie Pharmaceuticals reported a net loss of $28.4 million, or $0.82 per share, in the second quarter of 2017 compared with a net loss of $23.2 million, or $0.87 per share, in the same quarter of 2016, according to a press release.Research and developm…
Courageous acts of curiosity spurred ophthalmologists as they developed specialty
At AAO 2002, Ocular Surgery News brought together world-renowned physicians because of their trail blazing role in ophthalmology. One of the seismic moments in ophthalmic history, was Charles D. Kelman, MD, performing phacoemulsification on his first human patient. That was in 1967 – 50 years ago. It is easy to forget that this technology was shunned in the early years and the bravery of individuals to improve medicine. One of the truly special moments of the round table was listening to Charlie Kelman and Dick Kratz discuss the early years (Read more...)
Adipose-derived stem cell transplantation shows promise for keratoconus
A phase 1 study showed the safety of autologous adipose-derived adult stem cell transplantation in the corneal stroma, including the ability of the cells to survive in vivo and produce a small amount of new collagen. This form of cellular therapy could…
FDA approves Imbruvica as first therapy for chronic graft-versus-host disease
The FDA approved ibrutinib for the treatment of adults with chronic graft-versus-host disease who failed prior systemic therapy.Ibrutinib (Imbruvica; Pharmacyclics, Janssen) — a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor already indicated for treatment of certain patients with leukemia, lymphoma and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia — is the first therapy specifically approved to treat chronic GVHD.