Alcon and RxSight, Inc. are kicking off the new month by announcing a non-exclusive collaboration to jointly develop presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (PCIOLs).
Big news! But also not an entirely unfamiliar area for the duo …
Indeed, it’s not. But before we discuss those components, we’ve got the need-to-know details of this partnership.
In general: A “non-exclusive collaboration" refers to a flexible business arrangement in which the two companies involved work together on a specific project (in this case: PCIOLs)—but each retains the right to partner, sell to, or distribute through other entities simultaneously.
- In other words: Neither party is locked into an exclusive relationship.
And in this specific partnership?
Each company will combine their respective platforms to create (in their words) “a co-developed technology that enables surgeons to fine-tune visual outcomes” for cataract patients choosing PCIOLs.
The platforms in question:
- RxSight’s postoperative light-adjustable technology
- Alcon’s PCIOL optical designs
Tell me more about each of these.
Starting with RxSight: the California-based ophthalmic medical technology corporation is best known for developing (and commercializing) the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL), the first and only customizable IOL for cataract surgery.
Some details on this:
- The FDA-approved (in 2017) IOL is implanted via a standard cataract procedure
- Surgeons can adjust the lens for a patient over a series of treatments to ensure its specific fit
- Each adjustment is an ultraviolet (UV) light treatment performed using a proprietary Light Delivery Device (LDD) to correct refractive error and dial into optimized vision
- More on this in a moment …
- The resulting vision is customized, clear, and reported to encompass the “best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at all distances”
Now expand more on that LDD.
This is designed to carefully administer controlled beams of UV to a patient’s eyes—ideally ensuring that all macromers in the beam’s path link up to form polymers.
- In turn: This movement of refracting to the UV beam is intended to lead to “predictable changes” in the lens’ curvature and refraction strength.
Check out the level of vision correction this lens offers.
Anything else before we move on to Alcon’s IOL expertise?
Just one more piece to this: RxSight actually launched the next installment of the LAL a couple of years ago.
- See here for details on the LAL+, which features a couple of new capabilities (including ActivShield technology as an extra layer built-in UV protection)
Alrighty, next up: Alcon.
With over 175 million IOLs implanted across the globe (as of earlier this year)—including +6 million PCIOLs—the eyecare company brings 30+ years of experience developing and commercializing IOLs.
Its portfolio extends to a multitude of established brands such as the Clareon and AcrySof IQ family of IOLs—all with toric options as well as ultraviolet (UVA) and blue-light filtering (BLF) technologies.
Looking specifically at PCIOLs:
- Those include the Clareon PanOptix Pro, Clareon PanOptix Pro Toric, Clareon PanOptix, Clareon PanOptix Toric, Clareon Vivity and Clareon Vivity Toric.
And what do we know about the PCIOL optical designs?
These include two optical strategies included in the PanOptix and Vivity lenses:
- Diffractive trifocal design (PanOptix/PanOptix Pro)
- Non-diffractive, wavefront-shaping extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) design (Vivity).
Tell me about each of these.
We’ll highlight a few features in the PanOptix/PanOptix Pro:
- Utilization of a true diffractive optic, splitting light into three simultaneous focal points via a diffractive zone on the central 4.5 mm portion of the anterior optic surface
- This divides incoming light to create an intermediate add power of +2.17 D and a near add power of +3.25 D.
- Targeting of a closer intermediate focal point than most competitors — 60 cm (arm's length) rather than the 80 cm used by other trifocal designs, intended as a more natural working distance for digital device use
- Quadrifocal foundation (not purely trifocal) based on a 4-foci design while using proprietary ENLIGHTEN optical technology to redistribute a 120 cm focal point back into the distance focal point for amplified performance.
And that non-diffractive design?
With the Vivity IOL, it features:
- Targeted diffractive refinement that helps recover 50% of light lost to scatter and repositions it to a beneficial focal point, yielding 94% light utilization versus PanOptix's 88%, with half the light scatter. AlconMyAlcon
- Non-diffractive mechanism in which the optical basis incorporates X-WAVE technology, a proprietary, non-diffractive optical technology, to elongate the depth of focus.
- Creates a delayed wavefront that simultaneously stretches the light rather than bending it (refraction) or splitting it (diffraction)
- Essentially: The IOL uses all of the transmitted light energy passing through it.
- A distinct EDOF classification, as it’s the only non-diffractive IOL meeting all four American National Standards Institute (ANSI) criteria for EDOF classification, with a dysphotopsia profile closer to a monofocal than any other premium IOL
That’s quite the pre-existing portfolio.
Indeed. However, as Alcon CEO David J. Endicott noted, the company is looking to advance its current optical design platform by adding RxSight’s own technology to the mix.
And more importantly: The companies are hoping to not only develop those aforementioned “tunable PCIOLs” but also give patients “greater access to outcomes customized to their needs after surgery, according to RxSight President and CEO Ron Kurtz.
Got it. So, did they share any monetary details on this partnership?
They did, actually!
Per the agreement: RxSight will receive an upfront payment of $60 million to kick-start the PCIOL’s development—with the potential for an additional $140 million in payments as development and regulatory milestones are met.
- It will also be responsible for development and manufacturing of the PCIOLs (and receive royalties on net sales).
As for Alcon: The company will lead global commercialization of the PCIOLs.
Any specific timeframe yet for when this product development will start?
Not so far … but (as always) stay tuned.