ViaLase

About ViaLase

ViaLase, Inc. is a clinical-stage medical technology company based in Aliso Viejo, California, operating within the ophthalmic surgical device industry. The company was founded in 2019 by Tibor Juhasz, PhD, a pioneering researcher in the field of femtosecond laser technology. Dr. Juhasz's journey includes co-founding IntraLase in 1997, which commercialized bladeless LASIK surgery, a discovery that earned him and his collaborators the 2022 Golden Goose Award for their transformative impact on vision correction. This deep expertise in applying femtosecond lasers to ophthalmology is the foundation of ViaLase's mission to address unmet needs in glaucoma management.

The company's business model centers on the development and commercialization of a proprietary laser system for treating glaucoma, a condition affecting 76 million people worldwide. The target clients are ophthalmic surgeons and healthcare providers who manage patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Revenue will be generated from the sale of the laser systems and likely associated consumables and services. As a venture capital-backed firm, ViaLase has successfully raised significant capital to fund its clinical trials and commercialization efforts, securing approximately $40 million in a Series C funding round in 2024. Key investors include Alcon, Versant Ventures, Arboretum Ventures, and Falcon Vision.

ViaLase's flagship product is a noninvasive treatment platform that combines a femtosecond laser with micron-level, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) image guidance. This system performs a procedure called Femtosecond Laser Image-Guided High-precision Trabeculotomy (FLigHT). The technology is designed to create precise, customized micro-sized drainage channels through the eye's trabecular meshwork without making any incisions, thereby increasing the outflow of aqueous humor and lowering intraocular pressure. A primary benefit of the FLigHT procedure is its non-incisional nature, which offers surgery-like results while potentially reducing the complications associated with more invasive surgical options. In July 2024, the ViaLase Laser received CE Mark approval in the European Union for treating adult patients with POAG, and the company is preparing for a selective commercial launch in key European markets through distribution partnerships. The device is not yet approved for use in the United States, where a pivotal trial comparing FLigHT to selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is underway to support FDA submission.