Corneal Endothelial Dystrophy Type 2

Alcon has replaced Aurion Biotech\'s CEO Greg Kunst “effective immediately.”\n Eye care giant Alcon appears to have gained the upper hand in the ongoing power struggle with Aurion Biotech by securing a majority stake in the clinical-stage company and replacing its CEO.The move will see Aurion \"operate as a separate company with full support from Alcon to advance its clinical-stage allogeneic cell therapy asset, AURN001, into phase 3 for corneal edema secondary to corneal endothelial disease during the second half of 2025,” an Alcon spokesperson told Fierce Biotech.As part of the transaction, Alcon said in a March 26 release that it has promoted Aurion Chief Scientific Officer Arnaud Lacoste, Ph.D., to replace Greg Kunst as CEO “effective immediately.”The two companies have been locked in a struggle for months over Aurion’s desire to list on the New York Stock Exchange. Alcon’s subsidiary Alcon Research, which is an investor in Aurion, tried to block the IPO plans in court, arguing that its rights were being violated by Aurion’s plans to go public. Aurion countersued, claiming that the investor was trying to trap the biotech so it could buy Aurion at a low price. In late January, a judge determined that Alcon’s consent was not required for an Aurion IPO, writing that the investor’s “argument is illogical in light of the parties’ contractual scheme.” At the time, Alcon said it would appeal.On one point raised by the lawsuit, regarding Alcon’s ability to vote its full share of the 40% ownership stake it has had in Aurion since October 2024, the judge backed Alcon, saying the company “has the right to vote its full block of stock.” Deerfield Management, another one of Aurion’s investors, came to the biotech\'s defense last month. The firm sued Alcon to stop what it described as “an unrelenting campaign to take over Aurion” at a cheaper price.Deerfield’s intervention was triggered by what the firm called a “Valentine’s Day massacre,” where Alcon had entered into an agreement to buy Aurion stock from fellow investor Petrichor Opportunities Fund on Feb. 14, a move that would give Alcon a majority of voting shares. Later that day, Aurion\'s executive chair of the board Thomas Frinzi resigned, and Petrichor and Alcon swapped out a Petrichor board appointee for an Alcon designee, which resulted in Alcon holding three of six total board seats, according to the suit.Deerfield and Alcon both invested in Aurion as part of a $120 million series C round Deerfield led in 2022. Aurion’s focus is on regenerative therapies for eye diseases, and its lead candidate is a cell therapy for corneal edema secondary to endothelial dysfunction, a disease that currently requires invasive specialty surgery to treat.Deerfield declined to comment to Fierce yesterday about what Alcon’s newfound majority stake in Aurion means for the more recent litigation. Aurion had not responded to Fierce’s request for comment at time of publication.

Aurion Biotech plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol \"AURN.\"\n Cell therapy company Aurion Biotech is moving forward with plans to IPO despite a pending lawsuit from one of its existing investors.The eye-disease-focused company plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol \"AURN,\" according to a registration statement filed Jan. 24 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Seattle-based company did not set expectations on the size of its proposed offering in the SEC filing. Aurion plans to use its IPO proceeds to help fund clinical development of AURN001, a cell therapy being studied as a treatment for patients with corneal endothelial diseases. Last month, the biotech shared data finding that the highest dose of AURN001—the main component of which recently received approval in Japan—improved vision in a phase 1/2 trial, prompting the company to set its sights on a phase 3 trial.The biotech’s IPO filing comes amid a rush of planned public debuts, with Aardvark Therapeutics, Metsera and Maze Therapeutics each mapping out their own IPO plans in recent days. But for Aurion, there’s an added complication in that Alcon Research is suing the biotech to block the IPO.Back in 2022, Aurion raised a $120 million series C round that was led by Deerfield Management, with participation from Alcon Research.Recently, though, the shareholder has claimed its rights are being violated by Aurion’s plans to go public, according to court documents cited by The Wall Street Journal. “Our suit asks the court to reaffirm Alcon’s rights as a preferred shareholder that are not being honored,\" an Alcon spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Fierce Biotech. \"While we await the court’s ruling, we remain committed to Aurion’s long-term development and success, as we have been since our initial investment, in the interests of patients who need new therapeutic options, and all Aurion stakeholders.”  Aurion has countersued, claiming that Alcon Research is trying to trap the biotech so it can buy Aurion at a low price. Alcon Research is a subsidiary of eye care giant Alcon. A judge is expected to make a preliminary determination on the cases in the coming weeks, according to the WSJ.Editor\'s note: This story was updated at 9:15 a.m. ET on Jan. 28 to include comment from Alcon.

VAUGHAN, Ontario--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, today announced the commercial launch of the enVista Aspire monofocal and toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) in the European Union after receiving a CE Mark late last year. enVista Aspire combines novel Intermediate Optimized optics, which are designed for a broader depth of focus*, with the proven benefits of the enVista ® platform to address vision needs in today’s modern, digital world. “ Surgeons around the world have long known the benefits of the enVista platform,” said Luc Bonnefoy, president, Surgical, Bausch + Lomb. “ In the U.S., where enVista Aspire is currently available, surgeons and their patients appreciate the features of these monofocal lenses that are designed for a broader depth of focus*, and we look forward to offering that feature in Europe as part of our comprehensive IOL portfolio.” Unlike conventional spherical monofocal IOLs and lower-order aspheric IOLs, the enVista Aspire monofocal optics allow for a range of vision beyond one focal point. Like enVista MX60E, enVista Aspire offers a glistening-free optic material and controlled, efficient unfolding through Bausch + Lomb’s proprietary StableFlex ™ Technology, which aids optic recovery. For patients with astigmatism, enVista Aspire Toric IOLs provide a proven option for treatment of their astigmatism during cataract surgery. Featuring a +0.90 cylinder design, the enVista toric IOL platform can treat less than one diopter of astigmatism at the corneal plane. The unique AccuSet haptic design enables exceptional rotational stability, an important attribute for toric lenses. Indications and Important Safety Information for the enVista Aspire and enVista Aspire toric Hydrophobic Acrylic IOL Indications: The enVista Aspire ™ hydrophobic acrylic IOL (non-preloaded model EA) is indicated for primary implantation in the capsular bag of the eye in adult patients for the visual correction of aphakia following removal of a cataractous lens. The enVista Aspire toric IOL is indicated for primary implantation in the capsular bag of the eye in adult patients for the visual correction of aphakia and corneal astigmatism following the removal of a cataractous lens for improved uncorrected distance vision. Device Description: The Aspire IOL uses an optical modification of the posterior aspheric surface to create a small continuous increase in IOL power within the central 1.5 mm diameter to slightly extend the depth of focus. However, clinically meaningful extension of the depth of focus has not been demonstrated in clinical trials. Warnings As with any surgical procedure, there is risk involved. Physicians considering IOL implantation under any of the following circumstances should weigh the potential risk/benefit ratio: (1) Recurrent severe anterior or posterior segment inflammation or uveitis; (2) Patients in whom the IOL may affect the ability to observe, diagnose, or treat posterior segment diseases; (3) Surgical difficulties at the time of cataract extraction, which might increase the potential for complications (e.g., persistent bleeding, significant iris damage, uncontrolled positive pressure, or significant vitreous prolapse or loss); (4) A distorted eye due to previous trauma or developmental defect in which appropriate support of the IOL is not possible; (5) Circumstances that would result in damage to the endothelium during implantation; (6) Suspected microbial infection; (7) Patients in whom neither the posterior capsule nor zonules are intact enough to provide support. Precautions Neither the safety and effectiveness, nor the effects of the Aspire IOL optical design on depth of focus, contrast sensitivity, and subjective visual disturbances (glare, halo, etc.) have been evaluated clinically. MTF testing of the Aspire IOL optical design (used in model ETA) may aid the surgeon in understanding the theoretical image quality expected with the Aspire IOL compared to the enVista monofocal IOL MX60E. However, these do not fully assess all aspects of clinical difficulties under all conditions. Surgeons must weigh the potential benefits of the modified optical design of the Aspire IOL (model ETA) against the potential for risks associated with a degradation in vision quality and the lack of clinical data to characterize the impact of the Aspire IOL optical design on contrast sensitivity and subjective visual disturbance. These considerations may be especially relevant to patients with certain pre-existing ocular conditions (prior corneal refractive surgery, irregular corneal astigmatism, severe corneal dystrophy, macular disease, optic nerve atrophy, etc.) or intraoperative conditions (posterior capsular rupture, complications in which the IOL stability could be compromised, inability to place IOL in capsular bag, etc). The safety and effectiveness of the IOL have not been substantiated in patients with pre-existing ocular conditions and intraoperative complications. Careful preoperative evaluation and sound clinical judgment should be used by the surgeon to decide the benefit/risk ratio before implanting an IOL in a patient with one or more of these conditions. Physicians considering IOL implantation in such patients should explore the use of alternative methods of aphakic correction and consider IOL implantation only if alternatives are deemed unsatisfactory in meeting the needs of the patient. Patients with preoperative problems, such as corneal endothelial disease, abnormal cornea, macular degeneration, retinal degeneration, glaucoma, and chronic drug miosis may not achieve the visual acuity of patients without such problems. The physician must determine the benefits to be derived from IOL implantation when such conditions exist. Adverse Events: As with any surgical procedure, there is risk involved. Potential complications accompanying cataract or implant surgery may include, but are not limited to the following: corneal endothelial damage, infection (endophthalmitis), retinal detachment, vitritis, cystoid macular edema, corneal edema, pupillary block, cyclitic membrane, iris prolapse, hypopyon transient or persistent glaucoma, and secondary surgical intervention. Secondary surgical interventions include but are not limited to: lens repositioning, lens replacement, vitreous aspiration or iridectomy for pupillary block, wound leak repair, and retinal detachment repair. ATTENTION: This is not all you need to know. Please refer to the Directions For Use labeling for a complete listing of indications, full risk and safety information, clinical study information, etc. *Based on optical bench testing. MTF study in IS02 model cornea, comparison of MX60E and enVista Aspire. About Bausch + Lomb Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world – from birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of approximately 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with approximately 13,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario, with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on X , LinkedIn , Facebook and Instagram . © 2025 Bausch + Lomb. EASP.0001.USA.25