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For immediate release
July 9, 2007
Park welcomes newest tenant: NanoMedics, LLC
Richmond, Va. – The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park recently announced the location of its newest tenant, NanoMedics, LLC, a medical device company focused on developing alternative solutions for ophthalmic diseases with primary focus on complicated retinal detachment.
“Complicated retinal detachment is a medical emergency that can lead to total vision loss,” stated Michael L. Vadala, Ph.D., principal scientist at NanoMedics. “It’s a serious problem whose solution has not yet been perfected.”
The retina is a thin disc-shaped layer of light-sensitive tissue on the back wall of the eye. It translates what we see into neural impulses and sends them to the brain via the optic nerve. Occasionally, injury or trauma to the eye or head may cause a small tear in the retina, which allows fluid to seep through, peeling it away like a bubble in wallpaper, a problem called retinal detachment. Initial detachment may be localized, but without rapid treatment the entire retina may detach, leading to vision loss and blindness.
Currently, the disorder is treated with procedures such as pars plana vitrectomy surgery, a group of operations that involve removing some or all of the vitreous — the eye’s clear internal jelly. This proceedure is proformed to increase the efficacy of subsequent surgical steps, such as scleral buckle surgery, where a tiny synthetic band is attached to the outside of the eyeball to gently push the wall of the eye against the detached retina. Both of these procedures require use of an operating room facility, an anesthesiologist, a nurse anesthetist and support personnel, and usually require an overnight stay at the hospital.
Other, less invasive procedures involve injection of gas bubbles into the eye. This method of repair involves injection of SF6 or C3F8 gas into the eye after laser or freezing treatment is applied to surround the retinal hole. The patient’s head is then positioned so that the resulting gas bubble rests against the retinal hole. Patients may have to keep their heads tilted for several days to keep the gas bubble in contact with the retinal hole. The surface tension of the air/water interface seals the hole in the retina and allows the retinal pigment epithelium to pump the subretinal space dry and pull the retina back into place. Unfortunately, this strict positioning requirement makes the treatment of the retinal holes and detachments that occur in the lower part of the eyeball impractical.
According to Vadala, NanoMedics’ technology addresses the problems presented by current surgical and non-surgical procedures. “Our technology is non-surgical, does not require patient positioning, removes the possibility of surgical complications and saves vision in cases where current treatments fail,” he stated.
Already in long-term animal trials, NanoMedics has developed a biocompatible, nontoxic silicone magnetic fluid technology that will be an alternative to the surgical solution. The technology will allow physicians to treat patients in the office using an eye-drop anesthesia procedure. The fluids that NanoMedics has developed are comprised of superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles coated with a biocompatible poly(dimethylsiloxane) surfactant. During the in-office procedure, the magnetic nanoparticles are injected into the eye and tiny magnets are placed outside of the eye on the sclera, directly over the tear site. The outer magnets attract the nanoparticles to the tear site and subsequently promote natural healing over a course of one to two months. This technology is being expanded to include possible treatments for age-related macular degeneration.
“We are very excited about this technology and look forward to developing the company at the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park,” commented Vadala.
About the Park:
The Park is currently home to a unique mix of more than 55 technology companies, research institutes affiliated with the VCU Medical Center and major state and national medical laboratories. After completion of the new $350 million Philip Morris USA Center for Research and Technology, the Park will encompass 1.2 million square feet of space in nine buildings and employ more than 2,000 industry professionals.
Contact:
Nicky Colomb
Virginia BioTechnology Research Park
Phone: (804) 828-6884
E-mail: ncolomb@vabiotech.com
Web site: www.vabiotech.com
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