BIOLASE Technology, Inc.
IRVINE, CA, Mar 03, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
BIOLASE Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLTI), the World's leading dental
laser manufacturer and distributor, today announced that the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office has issued BIOLASE a new patent covering
the use of its laser technologies for treating various conditions of
the eye, including presbyopia. The patent is related to applying dyes
and colored lighting to make structures in the eye more visible for
various eye procedures performed with the Company's patented laser
technologies. In addition, certain colorings allow for greater
absorption of energy making it easier to cut at lower energy
settings.
The patent is number 7,891,363 and is titled "Methods for Treating
Eye Conditions." It supports previously issued patents and covers
methods for treating eye disorders, such as presbyopia, the
age-related loss of near vision that comes to everyone in mid-life.
Presbyopia generally signifies a universal decrease in the amplitude
of accommodation in the eye and currently affects over 100 million
people in the U.S. and more than 2 billion people worldwide.
This is BIOLASE's sixth U.S. patent to be issued related under the
"Methods for treating eye conditions" patent family. BIOLASE
currently holds a total of nine issued and 20 pending U.S. and
International patents in four patent families in the field of
ophthalmology and, with U.S. patents 7,867,223, issued January 11,
2011, and 7,878,204, issued February 1, 2011, these patents and their
U.S. and international counterparts give BIOLASE a wide range of
applications and coverage in the field.
Federico Pignatelli, Chairman and CEO, commented, "This patent
further demonstrates how broad the applications for our laser
technologies are within ophthalmology. We are assessing a number of
strategic alternatives for our valuable ophthalmology technology and
plan to pursue, in the near future, FDA approval for clinical trials
for a treatment for presbyopia. In addition to ophthalmology, we have
several other major medical applications in dermatology, cosmetic
surgery, orthopedics, urology and ENT that we plan to commercialize
or license in the near future."
Chief Technology Officer Dmitri Boutoussov, PhD, said, "This patent
has wide application in multiple eye treatment procedures, where
laser or other light sources are involved. It also opens the door for
the development of advanced treatment protocols with intensive use of
various imaging technologies. It is synergistic with the emerging
expertise of BIOLASE in optical imaging and creates the opportunity
to integrate digital imaging devices and lasers for disruptive
medical applications of light-based technologies, well beyond
dentistry."
About BIOLASE Technology, Inc.
BIOLASE Technology, Inc., the World's
leading Dental Laser company, is a medical technology company that
develops, manufactures and markets dental lasers and also distributes
and markets dental imaging equipment, products that are focused on
technologies that advance the practice of dentistry and medicine. The
Company's laser products incorporate patented and patent pending
technologies designed to provide clinically superior performance with
less pain and faster recovery times. Its imaging products provide
cutting-edge technology at competitive prices to deliver the best
results for dentists and patients. BIOLASE's principal products are
dental laser systems that perform a broad range of dental procedures,
including cosmetic and complex surgical applications, and a full line
of dental imaging equipment. Other products under development address
ophthalmology and other medical and consumer markets.
For updates and information on laser and Waterlase dentistry, find
BIOLASE at http://www.biolase.com, Twitter at
http://twitter.com/GoWaterlase, and YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/user/Rossca08.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the
meaning of safe harbor provided by the Securities Reform Act of 1995
that are based on the current expectations and estimates by our
management. These forward-looking statements can be identified
through the use of words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends,"
"plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," and
variations of these words or similar expressions. Forward-looking
statements are based on management's current, preliminary
expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause the Company's actual results to differ
materially from the statements contained herein, and are described in
the Company's reports it files with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its annual and quarterly reports. No undue
reliance should be placed on forward-looking statements. Such
information is subject to change, and we undertake no obligation to
update such statements.