Bio-Tissue Announces Strategic Agreement With a Bright Optical To Promote Its Regenerative Healing Technology In Canada

PROKERA approved by Health Canada which helps patients gain access

MIAMI & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bio-Tissue, Inc., a business unit of TissueTech, Inc., is pleased to announce a strategic agreement with Bright Optical, a leading distributor of ophthalmic products in Canada, to help bring its PROKERA® biologic corneal bandage devices to the Canadian eye care professionals market. A significant part of this agreement and key milestone is that PROKERA has received Health Canada approval, which will help to provide greater patient access.

“Our collaboration with Bright Optical builds on a successful relationship for distribution of our Cliradex products to eye care professionals in Canada, and will now also include our regenerative healing technology, PROKERA.”

“We are excited about this collaboration, as well as the significant milestone of the Health Canada approval, which will help patients in Canada gain access to our innovative regenerative healing technology,” said Thomas G. Daniells, Chief Commercial Officer, Bio-Tissue. “Our collaboration with Bright Optical builds on a successful relationship for distribution of our Cliradex products to eye care professionals in Canada, and will now also include our regenerative healing technology, PROKERA.”

Eye doctors around the world use PROKERA biologic corneal bandage devices for use in healing and treating corneal involved dry eye, keratitis, recurrent corneal erosions and other ocular surface diseases. The PROKERA products – PROKERA Slim, the original PROKERA, and PROKERA Plus – are the only therapeutic devices cleared by Health Canada that simultaneously reduce inflammation and promote regenerative healing of the ocular surface.

Bright Optical has a strong track record in Canada, where it has been a distributor of leading eye care products since 2004. This includes being a successful distributor of Bio-Tissue’s Cliradex® and Cliradex Light for over three years.

Paul Salsberg, President of Bright Optical said, “Bright Optical is pleased to build upon our successful relationship with Bio-Tissue, and help to bring PROKERA to Canadian eye care professionals. Bio-Tissue took great steps in bringing this product to the Canadian market and gaining Health Canada approval, which is significant in enabling our company to begin promoting the sale of PROKERA in Canada. We are very excited about the opportunity this provides to eye care professionals and patients throughout Canada for the treatment of ocular surface disease.”

About Bio-Tissue

Bio-Tissue (www.biotissue.com), a business unit of TissueTech, Inc., develops and markets regenerative therapies that allow eye care professionals to advance the standard of care for treating the ocular surface. Its core products include cryopreserved amniotic membrane and umbilical cord-based tissue with innate therapeutic actions scientifically proven to heal the ocular surface. The Company’s proprietary CryoTek^® preservation method ensures the tissue retains its biologic activity and healing components. To date, more than 300,000 allografts have been transplanted collectively by Bio-Tissue and sister company Amniox Medical (TissueTech business units).

About Bright Optical

Bright Optical (www.brightoptical.com) has been distributing exceptional ophthalmic solutions to over 600 Canadian practices since 2004. We specialize in providing research-backed, best-in-class products while offering superior customer service for eyecare providers. Bright Optical maintains a deep commitment to our doctors and their patients.