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Acquisition of Kamra inlay paves way for SightLife Surgical in presbyopia space
Monty Montoya of SightLife Surgical said the move will push the company further into the cornea marketplace.
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SightLife Surgical has agreed to terms for the acquisition of the AcuFocus Kamra inlay, an opaque mini-ring that uses pinhole optics to deliver extended depth of focus for patients with presbyopia.
Details of the acquisition were not released, but the Kamra inlay will allow SightLife Surgical to broaden its presence in the cornea marketplace, much like Glaukos has done in the glaucoma marketplace, Monty Montoya, SightLife Surgical president and CEO, told Ocular Surgery News.
“We want to create a market that doesn’t currently exist, ultimately so that we can achieve our mission of eliminating corneal blindness by 2040. You’re going to do that with this innovation cycle that ultimately will increase patient access to the care they need,” Montoya said.
The core of SightLife Surgical’s business is cornea transplantation, providing corneal tissue to surgeons around the globe, and the company will continue to drive innovation and grow market share in the therapeutic cornea space, Montoya said. One particular goal is to commercialize injectable endothelial cell therapy technology, he said.
However, the market potential in the refractive cornea market is growing. Researchers estimate that more than 123 million patients will have presbyopia by 2020 in the United States. Additionally, by 2020, there will be an estimated 2.1 billion presbyopes worldwide, Montoya said.
“For us, the Kamra inlay is just a natural fit for this strategy. We’ve been following the cornea inlay space and believe that this is an area that needs to be developed. It has lots of potential, and so this was just a perfect fit for us and where we are in our strategy,” Montoya said.
The Kamra inlay received FDA approval for the surgical correction of presbyopia in 2014. The device “helps presbyopic patients restore their near vision while maintaining their far vision,” according to the joint press release that announced the acquisition.
“We’re going to have a lot of work in making sure we integrate and execute on the full potential of the Kamra inlay product. That will become our flagship product in the refractive cornea market. We’ll look to grow the product and build it into the marketplace, as well as continuing to evaluate other opportunities in the refractive cornea arena,” Montoya said.
“The leadership team at SightLife Surgical, our board of directors and the leadership team at AcuFocus are excited about this and believe it’s a win-win opportunity for both companies,” Montoya said. – by Robert Linnehan
- Reference:
- SightLife Surgical to acquire the Kamra inlay as cornerstone for new refractive cornea division. www.sightlifesurgical.com/getmedia/b1ea01f1-03c4-4fa7-998e-f7719b4f888d/SightLife-Surgical-AcuFocus-Joint-Release-FINAL.aspx. Published March 8, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2018.
- For more information:
- Monty Montoya can be reached at SightLife Surgical, 1200 6th Ave., Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98101; email: monty.montoya@sightlifesurgical.org.
Disclosure: Montoya is the president and CEO of SightLife Surgical.