Santen and Orbis International Announce Long-term Partnership to Tackle the Increasing Burden of Eye Diseases

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, Santen) and Orbis International (hereinafter, Orbis) today announced a long-term, ten-year partnership to tackle the increasing burden of eye diseases in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Asia. Under this long-term partnership, Santen and Orbis will accelerate the growth of quality eye care systems by building the capacity of eye care professionals, developing digital technology and increasing awareness of the importance of eye health.

During the initial three years of the ten-year partnership, Santen and Orbis – through Orbis's initiatives and award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight, which reaches eye care professionals across 200 countries and regions – will carry out the following activities:

• Provide quality residency training and grow ophthalmologists' expertise in glaucoma, thereby building and strengthening skills that are critical to protecting vision and providing quality patient care, in Vietnam and India
• Develop digital training programs, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-augmented care and a digital surgical training platform for glaucoma, that enable greater access to patient care
• Invest in research that aims to quantify the importance of eye health, including how improved care and better vision can affect quality of life

These activities are designed to be implemented in addition to the "Digital Glaucoma Educational Initiative" for ophthalmologists in China, which Santen and Orbis announced in June 2020¹.

"We are pleased to announce our deepened partnership with Orbis, this collaboration will accelerate the growth of and access to eye care systems in underserved countries and regions by contributing to ophthalmic care capacity enhancement and increasing awareness of the importance of eye health," said Shigeo Taniuchi, President and CEO of Santen. "As noted in our long-term vision Santen 2030, Santen believes in a holistic approach to eye care beginning with education, training, technology and research to help ensure optimal patient care which in turn may lead to Happiness with Vision for people around the world."

"We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Santen, a company that shares our drive to raise awareness of the importance of eye health and to build strong eye care systems capable of providing patients with quality care," said Derek Hodkey, President and CEO of Orbis. "By working together, we can significantly accelerate our work to train eye care professionals across Asia. With global blindness projected to triple over the next three decades, training the next generation of ophthalmologists is more critical than ever."

At present, at least 2.2 billion people around the world have a vision impairment, of whom at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed². Santen and Orbis believe in a world where everyone has access to quality eye care and where no one is blind or visually impaired due to avoidable causes. We join forces to improve people's quality of life through the gift of sight, which can lead to a more fulfilling and happier life.

1. Press release: Santen and Orbis International Join Forces to Expand Access to Training for Eye Care Professionals through Telemedicine Platform https://ssl4.eir-parts.net/doc/4536/tdnet/1850087/00.pdf
2. World report on vision. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019.

About Santen
As a specialized company dedicated to ophthalmology, Santen carries out research, development, marketing, and sales of pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products, and medical devices. Santen is the market leader for prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals in Japan and its products now reach patients in over 60 countries. With scientific knowledge and organizational capabilities nurtured over a 130-year history, Santen provides products and services to contribute to the well-being of patients, their loved ones and consequently to society. For more information, please visit Santen's website (www.santen.com).

About Orbis International
Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness for nearly four decades. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills, resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye care. Working in collaboration with local partners, including hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of eye health on public health agendas. Orbis operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft, and an award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight. For the past nine consecutive years, Orbis has achieved Charity Navigator's coveted four-star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency, placing Orbis in the top 3% of U.S. charities. To learn more, please visit orbis.org.

Santen Forward-looking Statements
Information provided in this press release contains forward-looking statements. The achievement of these forecasts is subject to risk and uncertainty from various sources. Therefore, please note that the actual results may differ significantly from the forecasts. Business performance and financial conditions are subject to the effects of changes in regulations made by the governments of Japan and other nations concerning medical insurance, drug pricing and other systems, and to fluctuations in market variables such as interest rates and foreign exchange rates.

Contact
Akiko Yoshikawa
Corporate Communications Group
Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
E-mail: [email protected]   Tel. : +81-6-4802-9360

Orbis Media Contact
Kristin Taylor
Associate Director, Global Marketing and Communications
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Orbis International

Related Links

www.orbis.org