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Ophthalmology Futures Forum grows into second year
Preceding ESCRS in Amsterdam, this 1-day forum uniquely connects leaders in ophthalmology through presentations, panels and networking sessions.
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Building on the success of its inaugural year, the Ophthalmology Futures European Forum is expanding the number of topics to be covered, as well as the number of presenters involved.
“Last year, we focused on the front of the eye,” Kuldev Singh, MD, co-chair of the meeting, said in an interview with Ocular Surgery News. “This year, we’re looking at panels addressing the back of the eye, as well.”
CEOs, regulatory personnel, venture capitalists, innovators, reimbursement specialists and market forecasters make up the teams of panelists. New areas of ophthalmology have been added for this year’s agenda.
The meeting will be held at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam on Oct. 3, preceding the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons annual meeting.
Topics
Private company presentation categories include cataract surgery and IOL technology, glaucoma surgery and therapeutic devices, medical and surgical retinal disease, drug delivery and pharmaceuticals, and electronic implanted devices.
“What we have this year that we didn’t have last year is retina and drug delivery, and I think these will be particularly interesting areas,” Keith Barton, MD, co-chair of the meeting, said in an interview. “I’m particularly interested in the reimbursement take on things like new glaucoma devices, as well as developments in IOL technology and presbyopia.”
Keith Barton
CEOs will describe ways to improve ophthalmic care with new technology and present products in various developmental stages, according to Singh.
“I’m equally interested in some of the panel discussions that will look at important issues, such as regulatory standards and product reimbursement, as well as panels focusing on particularly complex problems, such as the incorporation of new technology and who’s going to pay for it,” Singh said.
Forum topics will focus on anti-angiogenesis innovations and the role of injections vs. novel drug delivery in the future; the formulation of rational exit strategies and expectations for small companies; glaucoma surgical device opportunities in established and emerging markets; femtosecond cataract instrumentation; drug delivery for glaucoma and retinal disease; and raising capital for new ventures with the help of large corporations, venture capitalists and angel investors.
European focus
“This is a European-focused meeting trying to highlight work that’s being done in Europe by Europeans, but we do have people from other parts of the world involved,” Singh said.
Kuldev Singh
The meeting will feature clinical research organizations that specialize in regulation and reimbursement for extensive technology and regulatory issues in the European countries, as well as previous issues, such as milestone deals and exit strategies, according to Barton. European regulators from the European Medicines Agency, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the Swedish Medical Product Agency will also be involved this year.
Sponsors for the forum include various medical device and pharmaceutical companies.
Registration for the meeting is available at www.ophthalmology-futures.com. Inquiries about presenting or participating can be directed to info@ophthalmology-futures.com. – by Cheryl DiPietro