NOTICE:

In 2010, Optherion completed two separate business transactions, one related to its diagnostics business and one related to its therapeutics business.

With respect to its diagnostics business, in February, 2010, Optherion completed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Sequenom, Inc.. Under the agreement, Sequenom’s CAP accredited and CLIA-certified laboratory, Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine (Sequenom CMM), obtained the rights to develop and commercialize diagnostic tests to predict genetic predisposition to late stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Please see News Room at Optherion.com for Sequenom’s press release.

With respect to its therapeutics business, also in 2010, Optherion completed a business transaction with another company. Both the company name and the transaction economics are confidential.

As a result of these two transactions, Optherion, itself, is no longer actively developing any diagnostics or therapeutics. Given this, the Optherion.com website has not been updated since year-end, 2010 albeit the nature of Optherion’s diagnostic and therapeutic endeavors are accurately represented in the website for the time period prior to the transactions.

Kindest regards,

Colin J. Foster
President & CEO
Optherion, Inc.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and CFH related 1-5 genetics

The complement component 5 gene and age-related macular degeneration
  • Baas DC, Ho L, Ennis S, Merriam JE, Tanck MW, Uitterlinden AG, de Jong PT, Cree AJ, Griffiths HL, Rivadeneira F, Hofman A, van Duijn C, Smith RT, Barile GR, Gorgels TG, Vingerling JR, Klaver CC, Lotery AJ, Allikmets R, Bergen AA.
  • Ophthalmology. 2010 Mar;117(3):500-11. Epub 2009 Dec 22
Contribution of copy number variation in the regulation of complement activation locus to development of age-related macular degeneration.
  • Schmid-Kubista KE, Tosakulwong N, Wu Y, Ryu E, Hecker LA, Baratz KH, Brown WL, Edwards AO.
  • Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009 Nov;50(11):5070-9. Epub 2009 Jun 24.
Genetic analysis of complement factor H related 5, CFHR5, in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
  • Narendra U, Pauer GJ, Hagstrom SA.
  • Mol Vis. 2009;15:731-6. Epub 2009 Apr 10
Deletion of CFHR3 and CFHR1 genes in age-related macular degeneration.
  • Spencer KL, Hauser MA, Olson LM, Schmidt S, Scott WK, Gallins P, Agarwal A, Postel EA, Pericak-Vance MA, Haines JL.
  • Hum Mol Genet. 2008 Apr 1;17(7):971-7. Epub 2007 Dec 15
A common CFH haplotype, with deletion of CFHR1 and CFHR3, is associated with lower risk of age-related macular degeneration
  • Hughes AE, Orr N, Esfandiary H, Diaz-Torres M, Goodship T, Chakravarthy U.
  • Nat Genet 2006 Oct;38(10):1173-7, Epub 2006 Sep 24
Extended haplotypes in the complement factor H (CFH) and CFH-related (CFHR) family of genes protect against age-related macular degeneration: characterization, ethnic distribution and evolutionary implications.
  • Hageman GS, Hancox LS, Taiber AJ, Gehrs KM, Anderson DH, Johnson LV, Radeke MJ, Kavanagh D, Richards A, Atkinson J, Meri S, Bergeron J, Zernant J, Merriam J, Gold B, Allikmets R, Dean M; AMD Clinical Study Group
  • Ann Med. 2006;38(8):592-604