Alcon Completes Acquisition of LumiThera

Alcon has completed its acquisition of LumiThera, the maker of the Valeda Photobiomodulation (PBM) system for the treatment of dry early and intermediate dry AMD.

In July, in a move to bolster is vitreoretinal surgery portfolio, Alcon announced its intention to acquire LumiThera. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Alcon says the Veleda is the first and only approved device using noninvasive light therapy for the treatment of early and intermediate dry AMD, as well as a subset of late dry AMD (non-central involving geographic atrophy).[1] Clinical studies show that patients treated with Valeda PBM experience an average gain of 1 line of visual acuity (ETDRS) over two years of treatments.[3]

“Since Alcon entered the retina space in 1997, we’ve focused our efforts mainly in surgical, delivering leading products and solutions for the operating room. As we welcome LumiThera and Valeda PBM to Alcon, we move into the retina clinic and the dry AMD space,” said Ian Bell, SVP and Chief Operating Officer of Alcon. “We look forward to broadening access and availability to Valeda PBM so more dry AMD patients can benefit from early intervention.”

Valeda PBM uses non-phototoxic light therapy across three wavelengths designed to enhance mitochondrial function and improve cellular health in the retina.[4,5] Results from the LIGHTSITE I, II, and III clinical trials demonstrated improvements in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, with 97% of patients reporting no treatment-related discomfort.[2,3]

Valeda PBM is currently available in the United States and in several countries across Europe and Latin America. Alcon said it plans to expand office-based availability of the treatment in approved markets and is preparing for further global expansion, pending regulatory approvals, beginning in 2026.

References

1.    U.S. Food and Drug Administration. De Novo classification request for Valeda Light Delivery System (DEN230083). Accessed June 2025 at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf23/DEN230083.pdf.
2.    LumiThera, Inc. A double-masked, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel group, multi-center study to assess the safety and efficacy of photobiomodulation (PBM) in subjects with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (LIGHTSITE III). Clinical Study Report CSP005.
3.    Valeda^® Light Delivery System User Manual (LBL-0001-01 REV C).
4.    Wong-Riley MTT, Liang HL, Eells JT, Chance B. Photobiomodulation directly benefits primary neurons functionally inactivated by toxins: Role of cytochrome c oxidase. J Biol Chem. 2005;280(6):4761–4771. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M409650200.
5.    Ball KA, Castello PR, Poyton RO. Low intensity light stimulates nitrite-dependent nitric oxide synthesis but not oxygen consumption by cytochrome c oxidase: Implications for phototherapy. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2011;1807(7):964–970. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2011.04.003.