NEWS spectrum

B+L to Acquire Ista Pharmaceuticals

Bausch + Lomb (B+L) has announced that it will acquire Ista Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in a transaction expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2012. Under the terms of the transaction, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, B+L will purchase Ista for $9.10 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $500 million.

B+L officials said that the acquisition accelerates its strategy to strengthen its pipeline and marketed products and capabilities. Ista's portfolio includes nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory, allergy, glaucoma and spreading agents, which B+L officials said would complement its existing prescription and over-the-counter eye health products. The companies also have complementary development pipelines. Ista's pipeline includes candidates in various stages of development to treat various ocular conditions including inflammation and pain, while B+L's pipeline includes the first of a new class of ocular anti-inflammatory agents and an approach to reducing intraocular pressure in patients who have open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Brent Saunders, president and chief executive officer, B+L, said that because the company already manufactures nearly all of Ista's current U.S. products, the companies are well-known to each other and share a strong overlapping U.S. customer base.

Avaira Toric Receives Special 510(k) Clearance

■ CooperVision, Inc. recently announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted a Special 510(k) clearance for the Avaira Toric two-week silicone hydrogel contact lenses for astigmatism. Cooper-Vision will re-launch Avaira Toric with shipments available for select distribution beginning in early May 2012.

CooperVision initiated a recall of select lots of Avaira Toric lenses on Aug. 19, 2011 because of the unintended presence of a residue on certain lots of Avaira Toric lenses, which may cause temporary hazy vision and discomfort. Following the initiation of the recall, the company received some additional complaints of severe eye pain. In November 2011, Contact Lens Spectrum reported that the recall had affected approximately 600,000 Avaira Toric lenses in the United States, according to CooperVision. In the fall, CooperVision expanded the recall to also include certain lots of Avaira Sphere lenses.

After thorough investigation, CooperVision identified the root cause of the condition and took the appropriate corrective actions, including manufacturing improvements, a new quality test, and increased quality standards. The company also put in place new metrics to track key quality parameters. All Avaira sphere and toric contact lens manufacturing lines are subjected to the additional quality controls put in place. A Cooper-Vision representative said the company is confident that these additional quality controls and manufacturing improvements rectified the manufacturing issue that occurred on limited lots of Avaira Sphere and Avaira Toric lenses.

CooperVision received the Special 510(k) clearance from the FDA to manufacture and resume shipping Avaira Toric lenses.

GPLI Announces Symposium in Denver

The Gas Permeable Lens Institute (GPLI) will host its next clinical symposium on June 3, 2012, in Denver (Lakewood), Col. The faculty for the event will feature some of the foremost GP lens experts in the United States including Dr. Christine Sindt, Dr. Tom Quinn, Dr. Shawna Vanderhoof, Dr. Perry Umlauf, Dr. Mindy Toabe, and GPLI Executive Director Dr. Ed Bennett.

Attendees can select from seven courses in both fundamental and advanced GP lens education, including specialty fits. For the first time, the GPLI will feature a live fitting demonstration within the scleral course offering. Attendees can earn up to seven hours of COPE credit, NCLE credit, and/or JCAHPO credit (approval pending).

The GPLI's “two track” approach to education allows practitioners and staff to select courses in Track One, pertaining to: (1) Spherical Fitting, Evaluation, and Troubleshooting, (2) GP Care and Compliance, and (3) GP Multi-Focals or Track Two, with presentations on (1) Toric GP Lenses, (2) GP Management of Keratoconus, and (3) Scleral Lens Fitting, Care, and Problem-Solving. Attendees can select courses from both tracks to meet their individual needs. All attendees will attend a preliminary GP update course as well as a closing Case Grand Rounds course with a series of cases reviewing a variety of GP patient types.

Attendees that select the Scleral Lens, Fitting, Care, and Problem-Solving course will be offered the opportunity to actively participate in a scleral lens fitting. The “workshop” approach featured in this course will include a live fitting demonstration to illustrate variations in fitting relationships when incorporating lens parameter changes. Participants will have the opportunity to practice application and removal of scleral lenses.

The cost to attend this all-day event is $250. Attendees that register before May 11 will receive a $50 early registration discount. Contact lens technicians/staff are offered a reduced registration rate of $175 and can also receive a $50 early registration discount for registering before May 11. For more information or to register, visit www.GPLI.info.

European Ortho-k Meeting to Launch

The European Academy of Orthokeratology (EurOK), a non-profit, independent organization that represents the European section of the International Academy of Orthokeratology (IAO), will hold its inaugural meeting from June 9 to 10 in Madrid, Spain. International and European experts will provide two days of continuing education with simultaneous translation in Spanish and Italian. The exhibition will host the leading manufacturers in the field. Visit www.eurok.eu for more information.

IAO includes continental sections in America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. It represents the interests and serves the needs of orthokeratologists worldwide. EurOK is a proponent of ortho-k in Europe, promoting this science to eye specialists and providing education in the field of corneal molding for refractive errors and the latest technology for myopia control.

For the Record

In the April issue on the cover and in the article “An Update on Specialty Contact Lens Research,” the photo attributed to Halina Manczak, MD, PhD, and described as “ClearKone in Optic Section View” was not the correct photo. That photo (left) was taken by Dr. Manczak but is an image of posterior keratoconus. The correct photo of ClearKone in optic section view by Dr. Manczak appears on the right. Contact Lens Spectrum regrets the error.

Remembering Dr. Adolph Lombart

Dr. Adolph Lombart, founder of Lombart Lenses, died December 28, 2011 at the age of 89.

Dr. Lombart was born on Oct. 3, 1922 in Norfolk, Va. After graduating from Virginia Tech and serving in the U.S Army, he enrolled at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Upon receiving his degree, Dr. Lombart moved back to Norfolk to start his private practice. A real innovator, he was the first optometrist to offer four-hour eyeglass service, something that was unheard of in the early '50s. It actually didn't become popular for another 30 years. He also opened multiple offices and had many optometrists on staff who later had their own successful practices.

In 1954, when he could not find a reliable source for contact lenses, Dr. Lombart started Lombart Lenses, a contact lens manufacturing facility that would supply him and his offices with high quality contact lenses that they didn't have to wait weeks to receive. He built the business into a leading company when his son Kenneth joined him, and together they became leaders in the industry.

After building the business into the largest hard contact lens manufacturer, Dr. Lombart sold the company in 1973 to American Sterilizer of Erie, Pa.; his sons Kenneth and Rick ultimately went on to start Lombart Instruments in 1979. Dr. Lombart retired in 1973 to play golf and fish, two of his favorite things other than his wife and children.

In 1979 after a few years in Florida, Dr. Lombart helped the new owners develop a soft contact lens, Amsof, which shook up the industry by bringing the cost down to a very affordable level. Shortly after that he retired a second time. Lombart Lenses was sold several more times after he retired before eventually becoming part of CooperVision.

Dr. Lombart is survived by his wife of 67 years Bette and his three children Kenneth, Kathy Kantor, and Richard as well as five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Based in part on an obituary from The Virginian-Pilot, Dec. 29, 2011.