ST. LOUIS, May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeaVision, LLC of St. Louis, Missouri, recently announced three new business developments: A third patent licensing agreement, a round of private financing, and a new business initiative.
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ZeaVision’s President, Mr. Terry Hatfield, said, “These three developments position ZeaVision for aggressive business growth in 2006 and beyond.”
ZeaVision announced their third licensing agreement in three years with Kalsec, Inc. of Kalamazoo, Michigan. They also hold agreements with Chrysantis (Ball Horticultural) and DSM Nutritional Products (formerly Roche Vitamins). The patent license allows Kalsec to sell bulk zeaxanthin to the supplement and food industries and provides a “pass through” license to buyers of Kalsec’s ZeaGold(TM) form of zeaxanthin, for daily dosages of up to 4 mg of zeaxanthin.
Zeaxanthin (zee-uh-zan-thin) is a macular pigment that a growing body of science indicates is important in reducing the risk of cataract formation and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the two most prevalent chronic eye diseases.
The completion of a private round of financing will add $2 million of capital from local private investors. Ongoing revenue, licensing fees, and this private round of equity allows ZeaVision to properly launch its newest business initiative for eye care professionals, involving a measurement device and a professional line of ophthalmic supplements. This device provides a simple, non-invasive measurement of retinal levels of the macular pigments zeaxanthin and lutein. Patients with low macular pigment levels can now increase macular pigment density with professionally designed ophthalmic supplements.
ZeaVision introduced the QuantifEYE(TM) device and eye health program in the St. Louis area in March, and plans a broad geographic expansion in the near future.
The QuantifEYE device, which ZeaVision has exclusive worldwide distribution rights from a European concern, will allow simple measurements of the retinal levels in less than 5 minutes. The professional line of supplements (EyePromise Restore(TM)) are protected by ZeaVision’s strong patent estate.
The ZeaVision web site, http://www.eyepromise.com , points out the absence of effective medical or surgical procedures to treat the dry form of AMD, which represents 90% of all cases (15 million cases in the U.S. alone). Mr. Hatfield stated that, “The National Eye Institute’s AREDS clinical trial documented that dry macular degeneration has responded to nutritional therapy.” Dr. Dennis Gierhart, Ph.D., founder of ZeaVision, LLC, also pointed out that, “Zeaxanthin is the most important pigment found in the center of the macula where it exists in a 2 to 1 ratio of zeaxanthin to lutein.”
In 2005, the Lewin Group reviewed the research literature on zeaxanthin and lutein and studied the impact of these nutrients on the quality of life and health care costs for adults over age 65. The estimated savings relative to a daily intake of 6 to 10 mg per day of these carotenoids would result in more than $2.5 billion in savings to the Medicare system over five years.
ZeaVision, LLC, is a pioneer in the development of nutrition-based solutions for the prevention and treatment of AMD and cataracts. They have developed a wide range of intellectual property around zeaxanthin, in both eye and skin health, and continue to work with scientific leaders in these areas to expand on the building body of proof that zeaxanthin is a critical nutrient for human health. For more information on zeaxanthin and the products that are being marketed by ZeaVision, visit EyePromise.com or call 1-800-508-9022.
CONTACT: Terry Hatfield, President ZeaVision, LLC Phone: 314-628-1000 Fax: 314-628-1010 E-mail: thatfield@zeavision.com
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060524/ZEAVISIONLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.orgPRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comZeaVision, LLC
CONTACT: Terry Hatfield, President of ZeaVision, LLC, +1-314-628-1000,Fax: +1-314-628-1010, thatfield@zeavision.com
Web site: http://www.eyepromise.com/
