NuVision Biotherapies

NuVision Biotherapies is a biotechnology company spun out of the University of Nottingham in 2015. It was founded by Dr. Andrew Hopkinson based on 15 years of his translational research into amniotic membrane applications for ophthalmology. Dr. Hopkinson, now the Chief Scientific Officer, discovered that the standard method of cryogenically freezing amniotic membrane compromised its natural healing properties. This led him to develop a proprietary process called Tereo®, which preserves the delicate amniotic membrane in a dry, stable state, retaining its therapeutic benefits.

The company's core business revolves around the commercialization of biotherapies for treating 'front of the eye' diseases and trauma. Its main product, Omnigen®, is a wound dressing and grafting material derived from amniotic membrane, the sac that surrounds a baby in the womb. This natural biomaterial is used to support healing, minimize inflammation, and reduce pain on the ocular surface. Unlike traditional applications that required surgery and sutures, Omnigen, when combined with NuVision's specially designed bandage contact lens, OmniLenz®, can be applied in a simple, non-surgical procedure in an outpatient setting. This innovation makes amniotic membrane treatment more accessible to a wider range of patients at an earlier stage of their condition.

NuVision serves ophthalmologists, optometrists, and hospitals, with its products being used in over 160 UK hospitals for conditions resulting from traumatic injury, eye surgery, and chronic diseases. The company is expanding globally, with partnerships to distribute its products in countries including the Netherlands. Its business model appears to be based on the sale of its Omnigen and OmniLenz products to healthcare providers and institutions. The company has received funding from investors such as Mercia Asset Management, Pioneer Group, and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.

Keywords: amniotic membrane, ocular surface disease, corneal healing, biotherapy, ophthalmic therapies, Omnigen, wound dressing, Tereo process, regenerative medicine, eye trauma, dry eye disease, tissue engineering, OmniLenz, bandage contact lens, non-surgical treatment, ophthalmic biomaterials, corneal regeneration, ocular health, cell therapy, University of Nottingham spin-out.