Eye drop royalties benefit Schepens research

Woburn, MA-Advanced Vision Research Inc.'s royalty payments have made it the single largest private benefactor of The Schepens Eye Research Institute.

The company has paid more than $1.5 million to the institute as part of its agreement to license the patents developed there by Jeffrey P. Gilbard, MD.

Dr. Gilbard studied dry eye while at the institute from 1980 to 1995, and developed the TheraTears Brand Lubricant Eye Drops as a result of an 18-year research project funded by the National Institutes of Health. He went on to found Advanced Vision Research, and serves as its chief executive officer and chief scientific officer.