Targeting the technology at the contact lens industry
Over the next few years LipoCoat will first focus on coating hard contact lenses. Van Weerd explains this choice: ‘Our coatings can, in principle, be applied to all materials that come into contact with body fluids. Because all of these face the same problem: proteins, fats and bacteria that deposit on these and can give rise to infections. We have carried out market research into this on items such as catheters and tubes for tube feeding. For example, a catheter gets covered in bacteria within 30 minutes, so significant gains could be made. In the end we chose to first of all prove our technology in the contact lens industry. Clients are asking for a solution and lens manufacturers are keen to get their hands on one. And there is a very practical aspect for us: in this market the approval procedures are less long than they are for more medically focused applications that are used in the body.’
Lens manufacturers want safety and lens wearing comfort
The lens wearing comfort of current contact lenses is not satisfactory enough. Lens manufacturers are looking for a product that sets itself apart from the competition. ‘We are starting with hard lenses. In general, people wear these for longer. And hard lenses are more expensive: the price per lens can be up to 300 euros. Our process results in a small increase in the cost price, which is only a fraction of the sale price. Lens manufacturers have indicated that they want to assume more responsibility for the lens wearing comfort. At present that is often still a responsibility of the end user who has to clean his lenses often enough. Manufacturers want to be able to deliver a product with a guaranteed safety and superior lens wearing comfort. With this approach they hope to strongly increase their market share and, for example, to win back earlier lens wearers who have now switched to wearing spectacles.’