Bausch + Lomb announced that an affiliate has acquired Elios Vision, developer of the ELIOS procedure, the first clinically validated, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) procedure using an excimer laser. The acquisition provides new opportunities to treat glaucoma effectively in conjunction with cataract surgery without implants and bolsters Bausch + Lomb’s glaucoma portfolio, which features pharmaceutical and surgical approaches, the company said in a press release.
“The ELIOS system offers a differentiated approach for the treatment of glaucoma, a condition expected to increase in prevalence by 47% from 2020 to 2040,”1 said Luc Bonnefoy, president, Surgical, Bausch + Lomb.
MIGS can also often be performed in conjunction with cataract surgery, the most routinely performed surgery in the world.2 More than 19% of patients who need cataract surgery also have glaucoma or ocular hypertension;3 cataract surgery provides an optimal opportunity for concurrent glaucoma treatment.
“ELIOS provides a tissue-friendly, precision non-thermal laser-based and highly adoptable procedure for the treatment of glaucoma,” said Professor Ike K. Ahmed, MD, University of Toronto and Moran Eye Center. “The synergy between cataract surgery and MIGS can help ophthalmologists provide streamlined care and improve patient quality of life.”
Elliot Friedman, former Elios Vision chairman and CEO, also noted: “Bausch + Lomb’s extensive reach in cataract surgery will introduce ELIOS to a broader range of eye care professionals and help change the treatment paradigm for the estimated 80 million people worldwide living with glaucoma. The goal is to make combining cataract and glaucoma treatment the new standard of care, and that’s even more attainable given Bausch + Lomb’s presence in nearly 100 countries.”
The ELIOS technology, which is CE marked, is currently marketed and sold in the European Union. Elios Vision is in the process of pursuing FDA approval for the product, the press release stated.
Click here for a video demonstration of how ELIOS works.
References:
1 Allison K, Patel D, Alabi O. Cureus. 2020 Nov 24.
2 McGhee, CNJ, Zhang, J, Patel, DV. J Royal Society NZ, 2020 Jan.
3 Tseng, VL, Yu, F, et al. JAMA. 2012 Aug. 1.