Ophthalmology News and Research

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Ophthalmology is the specialized field of medicine that focuses on the health of the eye. It includes the anatomy, physiology and diseases that may affect the eye. Historically, the science of ophthalmology encompassed all aspects of visual function, both in health and in illness. Additionally, ophthalmology also includes animal eyes as ocular function and optic diseases are similar among humans and animals.

Fovea Pharmaceuticals to sell 100% of its share to Sanofi-Aventis

Fovea Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has entered into a binding agreement with sanofi-aventis to sell 100% of its share to sanofi-aventis. Fovea has a portfolio of three clinical compounds, a unique technology platform and several discovery programs dedicated to back of the eye diseases.

1 Oct 2009

ORBIS' Childhood Blindness Initiative aims to develop 50 pediatric ophthalmology centers across India

ORBIS International's flagship Flying Eye Hospital arrived in Jaipur, India with its international team of volunteer eye care specialists and global sponsor Alcon, Inc. (NYSE: ACL), the world's leading eye care company.

1 Oct 2009

MacuSight's clinical development update on its proprietary ocular sirolimus product

MacuSight, a developer of innovative therapeutics for the treatment of severe ocular diseases and conditions, today provided a clinical development update for Perceiva, the company's proprietary ocular sirolimus product.

30 Sep 2009

IP Advocate founder to speak on commercialization barriers faced by university faculty inventors

Speaking of the then-divided Berlin, former President Reagan famously admonished Soviet leader Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” In a similar spirit, IP Advocate founder Dr. Renee Kaswan is calling on the university technology transfer system to remove the barriers that keep innovations from moving swiftly into the marketplace.

29 Sep 2009

Enrollment for pSivida's pilot FAVOR clinical study commences

pSivida Corp., a leading drug delivery company that has developed two of the only three products approved by the FDA for the long term, sustained release delivery of drug to treat chronic back of the eye disease, today announced that enrollment has begun for a pilot study to assess the safety and efficacy of Iluvien in patients with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.

24 Sep 2009

Integration of local motion signals allows for a larger global pattern motion

Researchers have long known of the brain's ability to learn based on visual motion input, and a recent study has uncovered more insight into where the learning occurs. The brain first perceives changes in visual input (local motion) in the primary visual cortex. The local motion signals are then integrated in the later visual processing stages and interpreted as global motion in the higher-level processes.

22 Sep 2009

Matching parent-child pairs not dependent on race or culture

Scientists have ample evidence that individuals use a variety of cues to identify their own kin. People can also detect resemblances in families other than their own. A new study shows that their success in doing so is the same, whether or not those families are the same race as themselves.

22 Sep 2009

Gene variant discovery could lead to future glaucoma treatments

An international team, led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the National Eye Institute, has discovered gene variants for glaucoma in a black population. The finding could lead to future treatments or a cure for this disease, which leads to blindness in two million Americans each year.

22 Sep 2009

New device for identifying eye conditions in infants

Tell-tale signs of a condition that can blind premature babies are being seen for the first time using a new handheld device in a study at Duke University Medical Center.

22 Sep 2009

Biopharmaceutical company announces initial public offering

Omeros Corporation today announced the launch of its initial public offering of 6.82 million shares of its common stock. Omeros is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing products focused on inflammation and disorders of the central nervous system.

18 Sep 2009

Successful eye surgery involves eyetooth implant in eye

Blind for nine years, Sharron “Kay” Thornton has just regained her sight through a first-in-the-U.S. surgical procedure at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The procedure -- modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (MOOKP) -- implanted her eyetooth in her eye, as a base to hold a prosthetic lens.

17 Sep 2009

Pieris AG and Allergan sign collaboration agreement

Pieris AG today announced that they have entered into a collaboration agreement with Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN) that combines Pieris' proprietary Anticalin technology with Allergan's expertise in drug delivery and ophthalmic drug development with a goal of developing agents for the treatment of serious ocular disorders.

15 Sep 2009

Triamcinolone may be a treatment option for some patients with retinal vein occlusion

Injecting the eye with the corticosteroid triamcinolone appears effective in improving the vision of some patients with retinal vein occlusion, an important cause of vision loss that results from blockages in the blood vessels in the retina, according to two reports in the September issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 Sep 2009

AzaSite production increased to combat erythromycin ophthalmic ointment shortage

InSite Vision Incorporated today announced that Inspire Pharmaceuticals, its commercial partner for AzaSite (azithromycin ophthalmic solution) 1% in the U.S and Canada, has committed to increasing production of AzaSite in response to the manufacturing supply shortage of erythromycin ophthalmic ointment (0.5%).

15 Sep 2009

Alcon to acquire ESBATech AG

Alcon (NYSE:ACL) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ESBATech AG, a Swiss biotechnology company. Alcon will pay ESBATech shareholders $150 million in cash at closing, plus contingent payments of up to $439 million based upon the achievement of future research and development milestones that would be expected to create value for Alcon.

14 Sep 2009

Inspire Pharmaceuticals to increase production of azithromycin ophthalmic solution

Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has been communicating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is increasing its production of AzaSite® (azithromycin ophthalmic solution) 1% in response to the manufacturing supply shortage of erythromycin ophthalmic ointment (0.5%).

10 Sep 2009

1.4 million Nigerians over the age of 40 will become blind by 2020: Study

By 2020, 1.4 million Nigerians over age 40 will lose their sight, and the vast majority of the causes are either preventable or treatable, according to the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Study Group.

9 Sep 2009

FDA approves ISTA's Bepreve for treating ocular itch

ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISTA) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bepreve(TM) (bepotastine besilate ophthalmic solution) 1.5% as a twice-daily prescription eye drop treatment for ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis in patients two years of age and older.

9 Sep 2009

$NEI awards grant to Vivakor for developing a digital photo-refractor$

NEI awards grant to Vivakor for developing a digital photo-refractor

Vivakor, Inc. announced that the National Institutes of Health-National Eye Institute has awarded a grant to Vivakor, Inc. in Coralville, IA through the Small Business Innovation Research Awards.

4 Sep 2009

SAFLUTAN launched in United Kingdom and Spain

Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) has launched SAFLUTAN (tafluprost) in the United Kingdom and Spain, and additional launches in other countries are expected over the next several months, pending regulatory approvals, the Company said today.

3 Sep 2009