AesculaTech, Inc., an emerging leader in innovative ophthalmic technologies, today announced that Niki Bayat, PhD, co-founder and CEO, will participate as a finalist in The Winning Pitch Challenge at Eyecelerator on November 2nd, during the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting in San Francisco, California.
“The Winning Pitch Challenge has been instrumental in providing a platform for early-stage companies, like AesculaTech, to showcase their pioneering ideas,” said Dr. Bayat. “We're thrilled to have been selected as a finalist and believe that our groundbreaking medical device, HUMIDIFEYE, has strong potential to significantly advance the treatment of dry eye disease, as well as other ocular surface conditions.”
Dry eye disease (DED) is one of the most common ocular surface disorders affecting approximately 23 million people in the United States, with 12 million moderate-to-severe DED patients treated with therapies beyond over-the-counter lubricants.1,2
HUMIDIFEYE, a physician-friendly, one-size-fits all device, occludes the tear duct using a breakthrough temperature-responsive hydrogel that adapts to patient anatomy once deployed with the press of a button. In a pilot study, HUMIDIFEYE demonstrated a rapid improvement in both the signs and symptoms of DED in as early as 2 weeks, with sustained efficacy through 3 months. HUMIDIFEYE provides a novel and elegant solution to the clinical challenges of traditional punctal plugs by offering excellent comfort, lack of migration or extrusion, decreased chair time, and simplified inventory.
“Our team has put in tremendous effort and dedication, and this accomplishment serves as a testament to our innovative approach and the value we strive to bring to patients with dry eye,” added Dr. Bayat. “We’re excited to showcase the transformative potential of HUMIDIFEYE to the audience at Eyecelerator and the larger eye care community.”
The Winning Pitch Challenge, Eyecelerator at AAO 2023
Presenter: Niki Bayat, PhD, CEO
Presentation time: Thursday, November 2, 11:00 AM PST
Location: San Francisco Marriott Marquis
About HUMIDIFEYE
The HUMIDIFEYE device offers personalized occlusion for tear retention by delivering a proprietary temperature-sensitive punctal hydrogel using a sterile, disposable, one-size-fits all micro-volume autoinjector. Administered as a liquid, the hydrogel adapts to patient anatomy and transitions into a non degradable flexible solid at body temperature. HUMIDIFEYE® can be easily removed using a prefilled saline syringe designed with an irrigation tip.
In a study of 44 eyes, HUMIDIFEYE demonstrated an 82% average reduction in DED symptoms as measured by the Ocular Surface Disease Index score, a 73% average reduction in total corneal fluorescein staining, a 197% average increase in basal tears based on Schirmer testing, and an overall improvement in patient quality of life parameters. AesculaTech is moving towards HUMIDIFEYE market clearance in 2024.
To learn more about HUMIDIFEYE, visit www.aesculatech.com/meet-humidifeye
About AesculaTech, Inc.
AesculaTech is a private company focused on building better lives through custom chemistry. Founded by University of Southern California researchers in 2016, AesculaTech’s platform technology utilizes a proprietary smart material to develop biomedical and consumer products that are engineered to be adaptable and responsive.
For more information, visit: www.aesculatech.com