GLG News by Refractive Surgeons in Private Practice (US)

The market for eye drops for the treatment of open angle glaucoma is huge. Profit potential for pharmaceutical companies, however, is limited by the time period that they are afforded patent protection. Combigan, the just approved brimonidine/timolol combination therapy, affords Allergan new patent...

IOL technology has improved dramatically over the past decade.  However, the current multifocal/accommodating lenses (i.e., ReSTOR, ReZoom, and Crystalens) each have their own strengths and weaknesses.  The topic of matching or mixing lenses has therefore become very important.

Presbyopia correcting IOLs currently represent 5% of all IOLs implanted in the United States (about 3.5 million per year).  The products available in this category include the ReSTOR multifocal IOL (Alcon), the ReZoom multifocal IOL (AMO) and the cyrstalens accommodative IOL (eyeonics).  Although...

Alacrity Biosciences has completed a Phase 2 clinical trial of ALTY-1501, an eye drop for the treatment of dry eye. Dry eye (or keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) affects more than 10% of the US population and its incidence is increasing as baby boomers become senior citizens. Although the small...

       Genentech has had first year revenues of $800 million from its drug Lucentis, which is used intravitreaaly to treat macular degeneration on label and some other conditions off label.   Although this amount of sales places Lucentis well within the blockbuster...

It seems most likely that the reason that the major ophthalmic houses did not want the Crystalens-Eyeonics company is that the technology has substantial problems.  Unlike the multifocal lenses, in order to give the best possible distance vision, near vision is not...

Rather than getting gobbled up by one of the big three players in Ophthalmology (B & L, Alcon and AMO), eyeonics is looking to go it alone into the public arena.  The crystalens remains the only approved accommodative intraocular lens, but faces strong competition from the multifocals. ...

AMO's VISX has about 50% of the excimer laser business.  B&L has the number 2 spot with about 25% of the market share.  A take over by AMO could pose a monopoly in the laser market, that can hinder innovation. 

Custom lasers were unable to achieve monovision in the past since hey capture and treat the whole refractive error of the eye.  The ability to perform monovision in a custom platform will make easier for practices to offer more custom procedures to the 40+ patients, thus translating into higher...

ALCON has real chance in expanding its laser refractive market share.  Getting rid of a less than optimal platform and replacing it with the Allegretto laser has excellent potential for ALCON.