Blog

September 22, 2020September 22, 2020

Bausch Health to Acquire Option to Purchase Allegro Ophthalmics Assets

Bausch Health Companies Inc. and Bausch + Lomb and Allegro Ophthalmics a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies that regulate integrin functions for the treatment of ocular diseases, announced that Bausch Health has entered into an agreement to acquire an option to purchase all ophthalmology assets of Allegro, including global rights for risuteganib (Luminate®), Allegro’s lead investigational compound in retina, which is believed to simultaneously act on various pathways implicated in intermediate dry Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Globally, the prevalence of AMD is expected to reach 196 million people this year and to increase to 288 million by 2040. Approximately 90% of people diagnosed with AMD have dry AMD, for which there are currently no treatments.

“As part of the ongoing transformation of Bausch Health, we continue to seek strategic opportunities to build-up our pipeline in core businesses, including Bausch + Lomb, our global eye health business. The addition of the ophthalmic assets of Allegro would significantly enhance our comprehensive portfolio of products for AMD,” said Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO of Bausch Health. “If approved, risuteganib may be the first treatment indicated to help reverse vision loss due to dry AMD and would address a significant unmet medical need affecting millions of people globally.”

Vicken Karageozian, M.D., president and CEO, Allegro said, “As we prepare for our Phase 3 clinical program, we look forward to working closely with Bausch Health on the united goal of one day being able to offer a treatment option to the millions of people who are currently losing their vision to dry AMD.”

Risuteganib is an investigational integrin-regulating therapy that is believed to reduce mitochondrial dysfunction involved in intermediate dry AMD. By targeting multiple pathways, risuteganib may help reduce the cellular burden of oxidative stress and restore retinal homeostasis. Two concurrent Phase 3 studies evaluating the use of intravitreal risuteganib to treat intermediate dry AMD are expected to begin within the next 12 months.

Other ophthalmology assets of Allegro include a topical agent under investigation for the treatment of dry eye disease currently in Phase 2 development.

Click HERE for the full press release.

September 21, 2020September 21, 2020

HOYA Announces Ahmos Henry’s Departure

After six years as the president of HOYA Vision Care Canada, Ahmos Henry announced his resignation with the company to accept another position as the CEO of Clear Medical Imaging based in Windsor, Ontario. Ahmos joined HOYA in January 2014 where he was tasked with driving growth and innovation in the service platforms and product portfolio. He achieved those growth goals and exceeded expectations in the role.

During his time with HOYA, Ahmos has successfully transitioned the business to become one of the fastest growing companies in the optical industry. He has repositioned HOYA Vision Care Canada as a market leader by focusing on the technology and value of the brand.

Under his leadership, the company undertook a number of key growth initiatives. Among them was the implementation of various programs including the iD LifeStyle 3 “24-hour service”. Ahmos has also completed various acquisitions to help strengthen the infrastructure and provide eye care professionals with more options to better support their patients.

Before his departure, Ahmos Henry stated “It was a very difficult decision to leave the optical industry to venture into a new direction in my career when I consider both HOYA and the most amazing team that I have ever worked with. With that said, I have to add that I may be leaving the optical industry, but the optical industry will never leave me.”

Bernard Lecavalier has been designated as the interim replacement who will assume Ahmos’ responsibilities in Canada until a permanent replacement has been chosen. Bernard holds an MBA degree coupled with a Bachelor of Science from University of Montreal and Université du Québec à Montréal. He has over 21 years experience in sales, training and sales management in the medical, optical and pharmaceutical field and has worked with HOYA since 2007.

Click HERE for the full press release.

September 18, 2020September 18, 2020

Safilo North America Focuses on Fall Eyewear Trends on Next Virtual Episode of SAFILO LIVE

Safilo North America announces the date and topic of its next SAFILO LIVE virtual episode. Entitled SAFILO LIVE Fall Expo, the hour-long program will air on Wednesday, September 23^rd at 2pm EDT,on its own dedicated channel,andwill focus on Fall 2020 frame trends for men, women and millennials.

This is the company’s second monthly installment of SAFILO LIVE, Safilo’s new online channel offering innovative virtual programming to its customers across the U.S. – and now also available this month – in Canada. The program can be viewed live or watched “on demand” through Wednesday, September 30^th at 9pm EDT. The first-ever SAFILO LIVE “episode” took place on Wednesday, August 5^th and focused on back-to-school eyewear.

The company is producing these new SAFILO LIVE monthly “broadcasts” with the aim of providing viewers with unique content that includes safe virtual shopping, exclusive sales offers and giveways, marketing tips and business solutions, to help further attract customers to the offices of ECPs.

Formatted like a home shopping program, the shows feature Safilo hosts who provide informative content, including product features and benefits, as well a live Q&A session with knowledgeable sales reps. Exclusive SAFILO LIVE sales offers and giveaways will be promoted during the live broadcast and extended for one full week via the program’s “On Demand” mode. Once viewers sign up to watch the episode, the registration link can be used to watch the live program or view on demand as a taped episode.

Safilo North America customers can register to watch the episode by going to www.mysafilocanada.com.

Click HERE for the full press release.

September 17, 2020September 17, 2020

CNIB Unveils New, Interactive Retail Experience

The CNIB Foundation celebrated the grand opening of their state-of-the-art Nanji Family Foundation CNIB SmartLife Centre in Toronto on September 15, 2020.

CNIB Smartlife is an interactive retail experience that gives people with disabilities hands-on access to the latest breakthroughs in assistive technologies from industry leaders such as Bose, Eschenbach, eSight, Google, HumanWare, IrisVision, Samsung, and Vispero, along with other assistive technology innovators. The opening of the flagship CNIB SmartLife Centre at 1929 Bayview Ave. in Toronto was made possible by a generous donation from the Nanji Family Foundation.

“We’re incredibly proud to announce the launch of the CNIB SmartLife Centre today,” says Shane Silver, Vice President of Social Enterprises at the CNIB Foundation. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the transformational donation made by the Nanji family. Thanks to them, we’ll be able to empower Canadians with disabilities to take full advantage of these life-changing products and technologies.”

“The sense of sight is something many of us take for granted,” says Pyarali Nanji. “So we wanted to find a way to give back by increasing access to innovative technology and training for Canadians with sight loss.”

While the Toronto location is the first CNIB Smartlife Centre to open, the organization plans to build and update locations across the country so Canadians with disabilities nationwide can benefit from trying and selecting the best products for them.

Click HERE for the full press release.

September 17, 2020September 17, 2020

Facebook and EssilorLuxottica Announce Collaboration for Smart Glasses

Facebook and EssilorLuxottica announced a multiyear collaboration to develop the next generation of smart glasses.

The partnership will combine Facebook apps and technologies, Luxottica’s category leadership and iconic brands, and Essilor’s advanced lens technology to help people stay better connected to their friends and family. The first product will be branded Ray-Ban and is scheduled to launch in 2021. It will combine innovative technology and fashion-forward style to create smart glasses.

“We’re passionate about exploring devices that can give people better ways to connect with those closest to them. Wearables have the potential to do that. With EssilorLuxottica we have an equally ambitious partner who’ll lend their expertise and world-class brand catalogue to the first truly fashionable smart glasses,” said Andrew Bosworth, Vice President of Facebook Reality Labs.

“We are especially proud of our collaboration with Facebook, which projects an iconic brand like Ray-Ban into an increasingly digital and social future. Combining a brand that is loved and worn by millions of consumers around the globe with technology that has brought the world closer together, we can reset expectations around wearables. We are paving the way for a new generation of products destined to change the way we look at the world,” commented Rocco Basilico, Chief Wearables Officer at Luxottica.

Product name, specs, software capabilities, pricing, and other details will be shared closer to launch in 2021.

Click HERE for the full press release.