Ocutec receives CE Mark approval for its first PEG hydrogel-based contact lens product

Ocutec Ltd, the medical devices specialist today announced at the American Academy of Optometry Meeting in Orlando CE Mark approval for its first poly(ethylene )glycol (PEG) hydrogel-based contact lens product. In initial patient acceptance trials, this next generation of lenses has demonstrated superior oxygen permeability compared to existing hydrogel based lenses. It is anticipated that the lenses will provide similar health benefits to silicone hydrogels without the drawbacks of incorporating hydrophobic silicone into the lens polymer .

Commenting on the CE approval, Ocutec CEO Wade Tipton said: ”There have been many false starts in the search for the next generation of contact lens materials. However, our extensive PEG development work now confirms the initial belief in their suitability of our co-founder and world-renowned expert on PEGs, Professor Neil Graham of Strathclyde University. We have been able to develop a lens that has a high oxygen permeability and a low modulus. The lens is also being designed to show strong dehydration resistance with fast rehydration and high hydrophilicity – for comfortable and healthy long-term wear. The next stage is to complete patient acceptance trials, which we are on track to achieve by Q2 2010.”

The contact lens market worldwide is estimated at $5.8 billion and an additional benefit of Ocutec’s PEG-based hydrogel lenses is that they have the potential to be mass produced at low cost by injection moulding.