Sirion Therapeutics Partners With Advanced Vision Research to Promote Products for Retinal and Meibomian Gland Health
TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Sirion Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held ophthalmic-focused biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Advanced Vision Research, Inc. (AVR) of Woburn, MA, to co-promote, within the U.S., AVR's new MacuTrition(R) oral retinal nutritional supplement and its recently launched NutriDox Convenience Kit for meibomian gland therapy.
AVR is a privately held ophthalmic specialty company and manufacturer of the popular over-the-counter TheraTears(R) dry-eye product line. The Sirion sales force will promote MacuTrition and the NutriDox Convenience Kit and provide sampling for the TheraTears line.
"The partnership with Advanced Vision Research continues and expands our mission to offer diversified products that will make a real difference to ophthalmologists and their patients," said Barry Butler, President and CEO of Sirion. "MacuTrition, the NutriDox Convenience Kit and the TheraTears product line dovetail strongly with our own products in development for dry AMD, dry eye and other ocular conditions."
"Sirion and Advanced Vision Research share a joint focus on healthy eyes for patients through clinical research and innovation in ocular disease," commented Jeffrey P. Gilbard, M.D., AVR founder, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Gilbard is Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Dry Eye and Ocular Surface Disease Clinic at the New England Eye Center in Boston. "Sirion's resources and specialized sales force will be instrumental in helping AVR promote retinal and meibomian gland health and provide relief for dry-eye patients."
MacuTrition is the first major oral nutritional supplement that addresses oxidation, inflammation and neovascularization, three very important processes that threaten long-term eye and general health, and play a key role in those at risk for macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. MacuTrition, available over-the-counter, is a combination of synergistic anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories and anti-angiogenics, including fish-oil omega-3s, vitamin D, green tea extract and tocotrienol (vitamin E).
Meibomitis is inflammation of the meibomian glands that is a precursor to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which is a cause of evaporative dry eye and is associated with ocular rosacea. Meibomitis is an incapacitating condition characterized by excess bacteria in the eye lid margins with increased vascularization of the lids, and loss of normal meibomian gland anatomy and function. This leads to diminished quality and diminished quantity of meibomian lipids, tear-film lipid layer deficiency and increased tear-film evaporation. The NutriDox Convenience Kit, available by prescription, includes doxycycline 75 mg, TheraTears Nutrition-a flaxseed oil/fish oil/vitamin E omega-3 supplement, and the iHeat(TM) portable warm compress system to help address these symptoms.
About Sirion Therapeutics, Inc.
Sirion Therapeutics is a privately held biopharmaceutical company pursuing the discovery, development, and commercialization of products addressing unmet medical needs in the protection and preservation of eyesight. Sirion's diverse product portfolio includes products that address ocular diseases and conditions including uveitis, herpetic keratitis, dry eye, glaucoma and geographic atrophy associated with dry AMD. For more information, please visit www.siriontherapeutics.com.
About Advanced Vision Research, Inc.
Advanced Vision Research, with offices in Woburn, Massachusetts, develops and markets innovative pharmaceuticals for dry eye, external eye diseases and retinal health under the TheraTears(R), NutriDox(R) and MacuTrition(R) brands. The TheraTears line of products include Preservative-Free TheraTears, TheraTears in a bottle, TheraTears Liquid Gel, TheraTears Contact Lens Comfort Drops, TheraTears Nutrition (omega-3 supplement for dry eyes), and TheraTears brand SteriLid Eyelid Cleanser. Additional information is available at the Company's website at www.theratears.com.
CONTACT: Erin Parsons, +1-813-496-7325 x229,
eparsons@siriontherapeutics.com, or Heather M. Kirkland, +1-813-496-7325
x289, hkirkland@siriontherapeutics.com, both of Sirion Therapeutics, Inc.
Web site: http://www.siriontherapeutics.com/
http://www.theratears.com/