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44 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | MAY 5, 2023 ASCRS ANNUAL MEETING DAILY NEWS Patients need an affordable, effective, and convenient way to treat dry eye disease, he said. The ELM is the first and only physician-prescribed therapy that treats the root cause of dry eye disease at home, affordably. This is a spa-like treatment for dry eye that uses three components. It uses gentle heating of the eyelids to lower meibum viscosity. Vibration-induced shear thinning of meibum liquifies and mobilizes. It also uses neuro- modulation at the nasal bridge that naturally induces lipid expression that's enhanced due to previous liq- uefaction. Patients receive their first treatment in the office and continue at home as directed. Prizes were awarded based on the judges and audience voting. • 1st place ($25,000): Patricia Buehler, MD, Osheru • 2nd place ($15,000): Barry Linder, MD, Eyedetec • 3rd place ($5,000): Patrick Gooi, MD, iWick Editors' note: The presenters have financial interests with the companies they represent. T he Winning Pitch Challenge held an exciting session at Eyecelerator. John Berdahl, MD, moderated the session, with judges: Juliet Bakker, Longitude Capital; Jeannette Bankes, Alcon; Richard Lindstrom, MD, Minnesota Eye Consultants; and James V. Maz- zo, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The three presenting finalists were Patricia Buehler, MD, Patrick Gooi, MD, and Barry Linder, MD. Patricia Buehler, MD, Osheru Dr. Buehler's product is aimed at be- ing a minimally invasive surgery for lids. Ziplyft has the goal of making eyelid surgery easier on the patient and the surgeon, expanding the mar- ket of surgeons offering lid surgery and the market of patients desiring it, and becoming the leading provid- er of minimally invasive technology for excess skin removal. The eyelid surgery market is well established and large, she said. The problem with current lid surgery is it requires an experi- enced surgeon, can take up to an hour, costs $4,000, there is bleeding requiring cautery and wound closure requiring suturing, there is 2 weeks of bruising and swelling, complica- tions can include wound dehiscence and asymmetry, and there has been little innovation in decades. Dr. Buehler's Ziplyft is a patented FDA Class 1 device that features a clear design, allowing the surgeon to see the skin markings of the tissue to be removed. The device fits against the nasal bone to ensure symmetric placement. The serrated jaws compress the skin, sealing it to avoid bleeding and bruising, and a guarded blade cuts and removes the excess skin. The ridge of the skin can be glued, tension free, eliminating suturing. Surgeon benefits include consistent and symmetric results, reduction in operative time, it's an in-office procedure, no IV sedation, no need for cautery or suturing, and new cash pay revenue stream, she said. There are also patient benefits including a youthful appearance, im- proved peripheral vision, minimizing downtime, and patients prefer min- imally invasive surgery that provide an improved natural look. Patrick Gooi, MD, iWick The iWick is a cutting-edge filtra- tion device for glaucoma. With MIGS, we're taking a one size fits all approach, but patients in glaucoma come in all shapes and sizes. iWick wants to be a lifetime solution to fit every patient. Unique features include mi- cro-scale channels, optimized aqueous transportation, pliant and flexible material, over six decades of proven biocompatibility, and it can be used as a standalone device or compatible with other MIGS. He added that you can also connect multiple iWick devices together and use a staged approach. Five major advantages of the iWick are: adjustable reservoir, com- plete IOP control, enhanced safety profile, plurality of egress paths, and lasting outcomes. The device can be implanted through small incisions, and there is an existing reimbursement CPT code. We have all the components to get this started and prototyping in humans, he said, adding that the concept has been validated and IP portfolio created. Additional funding from the competition would help start the first-in-human pilot study. Barry Linder, MD, Eyedetec Chronic dry eye disease management is a big problem, Dr. Linder said. The Winning Pitch Challenge Dr. Buehler took home the top prize during The Winning Pitch Challenge at Eyecelerator.

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