Zeitschrift für Augenkrankheiten und -störungen

Abstrakt

Incidence of Ophthalmic Start-Ups

William C. Stewart, Shilla Marie Hernandez, Jeanette A. Stewart RN and Lindsay A. Nelson BS

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of Start-up company formation associated with new molecules or new indications for older medicines within 5 years of their description in ophthalmic peer-reviewed literature.

Methods: A retrospective, observational review of new ophthalmic pharmaceutical compounds or new indications of older products appearing on PubMed between June 01, 2010 and December 31, 2011.

Results: Included in this study were new compounds (n=21) or older compounds with a new indication (n=28). The most frequent indications were: anti-infectives (n=7), glaucoma (n=5), and anti-retinal neovascularization (n=4). No new ophthalmic companies were founded by the original author(s) for the originally described indication (0/49) within 5 years of publication. In contrast, 2 ophthalmic companies for a different ocular indication than originally described, and 2 outside ophthalmology for a systemic indication, were formed around 4 compounds. Evidence of at least some further work towards developing a new company past the initial publication was noted in 15 total cases and included: grants (n=4), press releases (n=3), filing a patent (n=15) and obtaining an issued patent (n=8).

Conclusions: There is a low progression rate from new ocular compounds described in the medical literature to company start-up formation within 5 years that might lead ultimately to commercialization of a new medication.