Alcon has moved its chips into the middle of the corneal regenerative medicine table.
It’s been two big moves in one week for Alcon (Geneva, Switzerland) after diving deeper into cell therapy with Aurion Biotech (Seattle, United States)—just two weeks after acquiring LENSAR (Orlando, Florida) and its robotic laser cataract tech.
Alcon (Switzerland, Geneva) was back at it again on Wednesday, this time acquiring a majority stake in Aurion Biotech and the emerging world of regenerative medicine in ophthalmology.
Aurion Biotech is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on advanced cell therapies for corneal endothelial disease. Its current allogenic cell therapy asset, AURN001, is on the cusp of an H2 2025 phase III trial for corneal edema secondary to corneal endothelial disease.
As a part of the move, Aurion CEO Greg Kunst has been replaced by Aurion Chief Scientific Officer Arnaud Lacoste, PhD. The takeover comes amidst the two companies trading lawsuits over Aurion’s plans to take the company public.
“As the global leader in eye care, Alcon will help Aurion optimize the development of AURN001,” said Dr. Lacoste.
According to the announcement, Aurion will continue operating independently, but with full access to Alcon’s R&D, regulatory, medical and commercial muscle.
“Alcon is dedicated to developing and delivering innovative treatments for global unmet needs in eye care, including vision-threatening corneal endothelial disease, which affects millions of people worldwide,” said David Endicott, CEO of Alcon.
What is AURN001?
Aurion’s lead asset, AURN001, is a novel cell therapy composed of allogeneic human corneal endothelial cells (neltependocel) combined with Y-27632, a rho kinase inhibitor.
Though still investigational and not FDA-approved, AURN001 has received both Breakthrough Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designations from the U.S. FDA.
“With our manufacturing innovations, we can expand cells from a single donor to produce up to 1,000 doses,” Mr. Lacoste added. “We look forward to leveraging Alcon’s global resources and commercial expertise as we initiate our U.S. Phase III trials later this year.”
Towards Phase III
Aurion is preparing to advance AURN001 into Phase III trials in the second half of 2025, targeting corneal edema caused by corneal endothelial disease.
The company has already completed a Phase I/II clinical study (the CLARA trial), which enrolled 97 patients across sites in the U.S. and Canada. The investigational therapy demonstrated a favorable safety profile and achieved a statistically significant improvement in its primary endpoint.2
Data from the trial will serve as the foundation for the upcoming Phase III study. If successful, AURN001 could help address the global shortage of transplantable corneal tissue, offering a scalable solution to patients facing potential vision loss.
A busy week for Alcon
From cataracts to corneas, lasers to lab-grown cells, Alcon appears to be racing ahead in the ophthalmology space—building a pipeline that spans the full spectrum of eye care innovation.
With LENSAR bringing robotic precision to cataract surgery and Aurion Biotech pushing the boundaries of cell-based therapies, the company is building a pipeline that spans the full spectrum of eye care innovation.
Investor sentiment appears to back the strategy. Following the Aurion announcement, Alcon’s stock jumped 5.22% to 84.60 CHF on the SIX Swiss Exchange, while shares on the New York Stock Exchange climbed 6.00%, closing at $96.80—a strong sign of confidence in Alcon’s push into regenerative medicine.
To read more about the story, head over to Alcon’s press release on the acquisition.
References
- BusinessWire. Alcon Acquires Majority Interest in Aurion Biotech, Inc. to Advance Innovative Cell Therapy for Corneal Endothelial Disease. News release. Available at: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250326223440/en/Alcon-Acquires-Majority-Interest-in-Aurion-Biotech-Inc.-to-Advance-Innovative-Cell-Therapy-for-Corneal-Endothelial-Disease. Accessed on March 27.
- Aurion Biotech, Inc. Aurion Biotech announces positive topline data for phase 1/2 clinical trial of AURN001, an allogeneic cell therapy product candidate for the treatment of corneal edema secondary to corneal endothelial dysfunction. News release. December 18, 2024. Available at: https://aurionbiotech.com/aurion-biotech-announces-positive-data-for-phase_1-2_trial/. Accessed on March 27.
