BUSINESS WIRE
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OptiMedica
Corp., a global ophthalmic company, has announced that its PASCAL
Photocoagulator technology will be discussed as part of 17 presentations
at The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2009
Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Authored by a group of highly
distinguished ophthalmologists from around the world, the presentations
cover a range of research topics including: clinical experience with
PASCAL; the comparison between PASCAL and conventional photocoagulators;
the combination of PASCAL and pharmacology; and new and potential
clinical applications of PASCAL.
Conclusions from a number of the presentations support PASCAL’s
potential to significantly increase the precision, safety and efficiency
of the photocoagulation procedure, which may lead to improved patient
outcomes.
Presentation Highlights: PASCAL Versus Conventional
Photocoagulators
Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) has traditionally been performed over
multiple sessions using conventional single-spot lasers. However, recent
research has shown that multiple session PRP may prolong the duration of
macula edema (retinal thickening that can lead to blindness) after the
procedure.* Two ARVO presentations from Japan and the United
Kingdom offer evidence suggesting that single-session PRP with PASCAL is
preferable to both single-session and multiple-session treatment using
conventional single-spot laser.
In “PASCAL Laser Photocoagulation Induces Less VEGF (Vascular
Endothelial Growth Factor) Expression in Murine Retina Than Conventional
Laser Treatment,” Yoshio Hirano, M.D. (Nagoya University Medical
Sciences, Japan) will present findings of a mouse study that concluded
PASCAL induced significantly less vascular endothelial growth factor
(VEGF) in the sensory retina and may induce less macular edema after
PRP, suggesting PASCAL may be safer than conventional laser.
In addition, Paulo E. Stanga, M.D. (Manchester Royal Eye Hospital,
Manchester Biomedical Research Center, University of Manchester, United
Kingdom) will present “Manchester Study of Pattern Scanning Laser
(PASCAL) Panretinal Photocoagulation (PRP) in Proliferative Diabetic
Retinopathy [MAPASS]: 1500 Burns Pattern vs. Single-Spot Multiple
Sessions PRP.” This randomized study compared single-session PRP
treatment with PASCAL against conventional laser treatment spread over
three sessions. Findings showed that single-session treatment with
PASCAL was not only ten times faster than the conventional treatment,
but it also induced no macula edema at one month and three months.
Therefore, the authors concluded that single-session treatment with
PASCAL is both more efficient and safer than multi-session treatment
with conventional laser.
Another comparative study looks at structural changes to the retina
following PRP with PASCAL and conventional laser. Presented by Franz
Prager, M.D. (Medical University of Vienna), “Comparison of Retinal
Morphologic Changes Using Conventional and PASCAL Laser System” used
advanced imaging technology (optical coherence tomography, or OCT) to
compare PASCAL burns with those produced with conventional laser. The
authors concluded that PASCAL burns are more uniform in size and shape,
with spots that are round and equal in both size and spacing. This
suggests that PASCAL delivers a significantly higher level of precision
and consistency than conventional lasers.
“The volume and caliber of PASCAL-focused presentations at this year’s
ARVO meeting are a remarkable testament to the widespread physician
interest in our technology,” said Mark. J. Forchette, president and
chief executive officer of OptiMedica. “Our rapidly expanding body of
scientific evidence strongly supports PASCAL’s ability to improve the
precision, efficiency and safety of the photocoagulation procedure – key
benefits that can help physicians provide better treatment and a better
experience for patients. We appreciate all the physicians that developed
these studies and presentations, and feel confident that their work will
represent a significant contribution to this year’s ARVO meeting.”
About ARVO
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is the
largest eye and vision research organization in the world. Members
include more than 12,000 researchers from over 70 countries. The
Association encourages and assists research, training, publication and
dissemination of knowledge in vision and ophthalmology. Our annual
meeting (May 3-7 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) brings together more than
10,000 scientists and practitioners to explore and share the latest
research in eye disease and treatment. For more information, visit www.arvo.org.
About OptiMedica
Based in Santa Clara, Calif., OptiMedica Corp. is a global ophthalmic
company dedicated to advancing the practice of ophthalmology for the
benefit of physicians and their patients. The company holds the
exclusive license to the PASCAL Photocoagulator technology, which was
originally developed at Stanford University. OptiMedica is funded by
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Alloy Ventures and DAG Ventures. For
more information, please visit www.optimedica.com.
* Brucker, Alexander P., et al., “Observational Study of the Development
of Diabetic Macular Edema Following Panretinal (Scatter)
Photocoagulation Given in 1 or 4 Settings,” Archives of Ophthalmology,
2009 Feb; 127(2): 132-140