BOSTON, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- SOLX Inc., a Boston University Photonics Center Company that develops glaucoma treatment systems, commenced commercial operations after conducting four years of research and product development in the Photonics Center’s Business Acceleration Program. SOLX’s DeepLight(R) Glaucoma Treatment System, which combines its Titanium Sapphire Laser and Gold Shunt, provides physicians a new approach to decreasing intraocular pressure (IOP), the primary risk factor for glaucoma. The new treatment system reduces compliance problems common in glaucoma sufferers.
SOLX held its first training session for ophthalmologists on February 11th and 12th, 2005 in Madrid, Spain, where the system has already been approved for investigational use on patients. Glaucoma specialists from six nations gathered together to learn how to put the treatment into practice. The training was sponsored by SOLX and headed by Gabriel Simon, MD., Director of Ophthalmic Research at the Boston University Photonics Center and lead developer of the DeepLight(R) System. The multi-national group of ophthalmologists observed the DeepLight(R) Treatment being performed on glaucoma patients. To date, over 250 patients from Europe, Israel, and the United States have been successfully treated using the SOLX system.
“Physicians use any combination of laser or the shunt to reach a patient’s target IOP; this gives physicians a wide range of pressure reduction options while reducing or eliminating the need for glaucoma medications,” said Dr. Gabriel Simon. “This new approach to treating Glaucoma was made possible only with the support of the Boston University Photonics Center and its Business Acceleration Program. The Photonics Center provided the lab space, equipment, engineers and start-up resources that SOLX required to develop the DeepLight(R) Glaucoma Treatment System.”
Professor Shlomo Melamed, Director of the Glaucoma Center at the Tel Aviv Medical School also shared his clinical experience with the DeepLight system. “This system shows great promise as a substitute for other lasers as well as a treatment option substituting for primary drug therapy,” said Professor Melamed.
“Every time one of our Business Accelerator Companies like SOLX launches a new product, it reaffirms the Photonics Center’s mission to facilitate product development within our light-based technology companies and speed up their time to market,” said Dr. Donald C. Fraser, Director of the Photonics Center at Boston University. “The Photonics Center’s Business Accelerator is well- equipped to provide photonics companies like SOLX with the resources they need to be successful.”
About SOLX
Based at the Boston University Photonics Center in Boston, Massachusetts, SOLX is a privately held company developing new approaches to Glaucoma treatment. SOLX’s DeepLight(R) Glaucoma Treatment System enables physicians to reduce intraocular pressure in glaucoma sufferers though it’s DeepLight(R) Titanium Sapphire Laser, Gold Shunt or a combination of both treatments. SOLX has been privately funded in the past 4 years and can be found online at: http://www.solx.com/
About The Photonics Center at Boston University (http://www.thephotonicscenter.com/)
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the Photonics Center at Boston University identifies and develops technologies based on the practical application of light. The Photonics Center hosts a Business Accelerator that enables emerging photonics technology companies to grow from idea to commercialization with greater speed and success. The Center provides an entrepreneurial environment that includes 20 laboratories, workspace for up to 20 start-up companies, and access to a range of equipment worth in excess of $40 million. Since 1998 the Center has started or accelerated 18 companies that have raised a combined total of over $225 million in outside venture capital and seed financing.
Contact: David Gerzof 617-713-3800 dgerzof@beabigfish.com
Boston University Photonics Center
Contact: David Gerzof for SOLX, Inc., +1-617-713-3800,dgerzof@beabigfish.com