EyeSense AG, a venture capital-backed developer of novel ophthalmic self-diagnostic systems for glucose monitoring of diabetes patients, has entered into a strategic partnership with QIAGEN. Capitalising on QIAGEN’s ESE fluorescence-based optical technology and on Eyesense’s glucose sensing technology, the partners intend to develop a new optical measurement technology for blood glucose monitoring in diabetes patients.
QIAGEN acquired a minority equity stake in EyeSense, and attained royalty rights for future commercialisation. Both the investment and the partnership are aimed at further expanding the range of applications for the growing segment of point-of-need testing and individualised treatment of patients. Financial details have not been disclosed.
EyeSense’s blood glucose monitoring (BGM) approach marks an important step forward in the diabetes field. The Company’s innovative and painless device is based on a non-invasive ophthalmic diagnostic system, and first patient studies have already yielded promising data. The ease of use, robustness, and reliability of the device will empower patients to manage their disease with confidence, and with improved comfort. EyeSense’s technology is poised to introduce a completely new way of self-diagnosis that will be applicable to other therapeutic areas as well. The Company intends to launch the new device in 2013.
"The collaboration with QIAGEN is an important validation of EyeSense’s progress to date, and substantially strengthens our development efforts," says Achim Müller, CEO and co-founder of EyeSense AG. "With its leadership in innovative optical measurement systems, QIAGEN is an ideal partner to help us maximize our development and engineering know-how, take our technology to the next level, and put our advanced monitoring devices in the hands of patients at an accelerated pace."
