By Connor Hart
Alcon acquired a majority interest in Aurion Biotech, a clinical-stage company developing advanced cell therapies to treat eye diseases.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
Aurion will operate as a separate company from Alcon, whose products include contact lenses and eye drops. The deal will also see Arnaud Lacoste, who most recently served as Aurion's chief scientific officer, assume the CEO role at Aurion, Swiss-based Alcon said.
Under the agreement, Aurion will have access to Alcon's broader research and development, regulatory, medical ophthalmic and commercial capabilities, the latter company said. These supports will aid Aurion's development of AURN001, a treatment for corneal edema, or swelling of the cornea, which can occur as a secondary effect of corneal endothelial disease.
Aurion previously received a breakthrough therapy designation, as well as a regenerative medicine advanced therapy designation, from the Food and Drug Administration for AURN001. The treatment has not yet been approved by the agency.
"We look forward to leveraging Alcon's global resources and commercial expertise as we initiate our U.S. Phase 3 trials later this year," Lacoste said.
Write to Connor Hart at connor.hart@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 26, 2025 17:07 ET (21:07 GMT)
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