Alcon has announced it will acquire LumiThera, Inc, a developer of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in a move that broadens its retinal treatment portfolio beyond surgery.

LumiThera’s Valeda Light Delivery System is the first and only approved technology to show consistent visual improvement over 2 years in patients with early to intermediate dry AMD, according to data from the LIGHTSITE clinical trials. The PBM system uses low-level, non-laser light to stimulate mitochondrial activity in retinal cells and is administered non-invasively in a clinical setting.

Alcon said it intends to expand the availability of PBM therapy in approved markets and will continue to support ongoing clinical research. LumiThera’s diagnostic devices, including AdaptDx and Nova/Diopsys, are not part of the acquisition and will be spun off into a separate company.

The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, pending shareholder approval and regulatory conditions, Alcon said in a press release. The Valeda system received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) de novo market authorization in November 2024. It is already available in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. RP