Alcon Debuts iLux® MGD Treatment System for Personalized Therapy for Dry Eye Disease at SECO International 2019 Annual Meeting

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcon, the global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis, will debut the iLux^® MGD Treatment System to the Eye Care Professional (ECP) community at the SECO International 2019 annual meeting, taking place February 20-24 in New Orleans, LA. The device, which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in December 2017, helps eye care professionals provide comprehensive, in-office treatment for their patients with dry eye disease. This launch, along with an interactive booth experience and dozens of educational events and product innovations, reaffirm the Alcon commitment to help patients see, look and feel their best.

"As Alcon moves toward becoming an independent company, we plan to continue to showcase our industry leadership at meetings like SECO International by bringing forth innovations that give ECPs the tools, techniques and data to deliver the best outcomes for their patients," said Sergio Duplan, Region President, North America, Alcon. "At this year's meeting, we are excited to put the iLux^® Device into the hands of optometrists who have been seeking opportunities to offer new treatment solutions to their patients suffering with dry eye disease."

The innovative and personalized iLux^® MGD Treatment System addresses Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), a leading cause of dry eye.¹ Handheld and portable, the iLux^® Device with Smart Tip Patient Interface enables ECPs to directly target a patient's blocked Meibomian glands through the application of light-based heat and compression under direct visualization. The device expands the company's current dry eye treatment offerings and allows practitioners to tailor treatment to the needs of each of their patients with dry eye disease in a matter of minutes.²

Leading-edge technology and data are the focus of the Alcon educational program both at the booth and during symposia throughout the meeting. Alcon will debut a Multifocal Virtual Reality training module to provide ECPs with a unique, best-in-class educational opportunity to go behind-the-scenes into the fitting experience with Alcon multifocal contact lenses. In addition, new data will be unveiled from the Power of One™ 2.0 program assessing the impact daily and monthly contact lens replacement schedules have on practice growth. The Alcon booth (#1533) will be located in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (ENMCC), Hall I & J.

Ongoing Commitment to Training and Education
Alcon teamed up with Microsoft and Elara Systems to create the new Multifocal Virtual Reality training module for ECPs, residents and students. This immersive, three-dimensional educational experience guides practitioners through the multifocal contact lens fitting process for presbyopic patients. The new training is part of the Alcon Experience Academy, which offers industry-leading face-to-face and virtual trainings and educational resources for all Eye Care Professionals.

Visit the Alcon booth to experience the Multifocal Virtual Reality training module.

Additionally, Alcon is offering a series of lunch symposia for ODs, residents and students throughout the meeting to learn about the latest innovations in vision care:

• Thursday, February 21
• OD Lunch Symposium #301: Creating a Better Tomorrow in Vision Care. Moderated by Dr. Rick Weisbarth (12:00 – 1:00 p.m., ENMCC - Symposia Amphitheater Hall H)
• Saturday, February 23
• OD Lunch Symposium #305: Collaborative Cataract Patient Care: Partnering for Successful Outcomes. Moderated by Dr. Kristopher May (12:00 – 1:00 p.m., ENMCC - Symposia Amphitheater Hall H)
• Student Lunch Symposium #307: Emerging Trends in the Contact Lens Market: Improving Patient Outcomes and Driving Practice Potential (12:00 – 1:15 p.m., ENMCC - Rooms 391-392)

Power of One™ 2.0
Alcon is excited to share new data from the Power of One™ 2.0 Program, demonstrating the business benefit of this strategy centered on one-month and one-day contact lenses to improve patient compliance, exam frequency and practice revenue. Power of One™ 2.0 utilizes aggregate de-identified electronic health records and point-of-sale data to assess the impact contact lens replacement schedules have on annual per patient revenue. Results show an overwhelming majority of daily disposable contact lens wearers replace their contact lenses in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended replacement frequency and daily disposable contact lens wearers have the highest annual per patient revenue for all goods and services purchased within a practice.³  

Alcon's broad portfolio of daily disposable and monthly replacement lenses with high replacement compliance rates, patient rebates, and staff training tools enable the optometrist to execute the Power of One 2.0 Growth Strategy in their practice. 

Visit the Alcon booth for more information on how the Power of One™ 2.0 Program can benefit your practice.

Important Information about the Alcon Products Featured in this Release

iLux^® MGD Treatment System
The iLux^® Device is indicated for the application of localized heat and pressure therapy in adult patients with chronic disease of the eyelids, including Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), also known as evaporative dry eye. Do not use the iLux^®Device in patients with the following conditions: Patients whose pupils have been pharmaceutically dilated; patients who have undergone ocular surgery within prior 12 months; patients with ocular injury or trauma, chemical burns, or limbal stem cell deficiency (within prior 3 months); patients with active ocular herpes zoster or simplex of eye or eyelid or a history of these within prior 3 months; patients with cicatricial lid margin disease; patients with active ocular infection, active ocular inflammation or history of chronic, recurrent ocular inflammation within prior 3 months; patients with an ocular surface abnormality that may compromise corneal integrity; patients with lid surface abnormalities that affect lid function in either eye; patients with aphakia; or patients with permanent makeup or tattoos on their eyelids. Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a licensed healthcare practitioner. Use of the iLux^®Device is not recommended in patients with the following conditions: moderate to severe allergic, vernal or giant papillary conjunctivitis; severe eyelid inflammation; systemic disease conditions that cause dry eye; in patients who are taking medications known to cause dryness; or patients with punctal plugs. Potential adverse effects may include eyelid/eye pain requiring discontinuation of the treatment procedure, eyelid irritation or inflammation, temporary reddening of the skin, ocular surface irritation or inflammation (e.g., corneal abrasion, conjunctive edema or conjunctival injection (hyperemia)), and ocular symptoms (e.g., burning, stinging, tearing, itching, discharge, redness, foreign body sensation, visual disturbance, sensitivity to light). Please refer to the User Manual for a complete list of contraindications, instructions for use, warnings and precautions for the iLux^®Device.

Additional important information about Alcon products will be available at booth #1533.

Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, clearances, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted, approved or cleared for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Alcon 
Alcon is the global leader in eye care. As a division of Novartis, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people's lives. Our products touch the lives of more than 260 million people each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors, and there are millions more who are waiting for solutions to meet their eye care needs. Our purpose is reimagining eye care, and we do this through innovative products, partnerships with Eye Care Professionals and programs that enhance access to quality eye care. Learn more at www.alcon.com.

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About Novartis
Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach more than 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 130,000 people of more than 145 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. To learn more, visit www.novartis.com.

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References:

1. All About Vision. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD): The Cause of Your Dry Eyes? https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/meibomian-gland.htm. Accessed January 2019.
2. Alcon data on file, 2018.
3. Alcon data on file, 2018.

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