Provectus Biopharmaceuticals announced the launch of VisiRose, Provectus’s first “founded entity.”

According to Provectus, this new clinical-stage biotechnology company is focused on commercializing Rose Bengal photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (RB PDAT) for the treatment of infectious keratitis and other serious eye infections using Provectus’s bioactive synthetic small molecule and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) Rose Bengal sodium (RBS).

Provectus stated that RB PDAT, a noninvasive investigational treatment for eye infections, is based on ocular research from the Ophthalmic Biophysics Center (OBC) at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (BPEI) of the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. The University of Miami is a minority equity shareholder of VisiRose.

RB PDAT combines a formulation of the company’s pharmaceutical-grade RBS API and OBC’s light-based medical device to treat eye infections caused by bacteria, fungi, and parasites, including multidrug-resistant organisms, noted Provectus.

In a separate press release, VisiRose stated that RB PDAT offers a potential solution to the growing global problem of antimicrobial resistance, providing a broad-spectrum ocular therapy that may be safe, effective, and cost efficient.

According to VisiRose, the treatment has shown rapid infection resolution and improved patient outcomes in clinical trials across the United States, India, Brazil, and Mexico. In more than 500 patients, RB PDAT has shown promising results in treating severe eye infections where traditional therapies have failed, advised the company.

“RB PDAT is a revolutionary, noninvasive treatment showing remarkable promise for patients with severe infectious keratitis,” commented Jean-Marie Parel, PhD, in the VisiRose press release. Dr. Parel, who is Director and cofounder of the Ophthalmic Biophysics Center at BPEI, continued, “This innovative therapy harnesses the power of light to combat infection and offers new hope for preserving vision.”