Mark, SNRS...No competition...DIFFERENT procedure then VISX, also
LARGER market then VISX/BEAM...if Wall St. starts building "Castles in the Air," there is no telling where SNRS will end up...when I said this is my retirement stock last year, I had truely DD it, even writing/calling the M.D.'s doing the clinicals. My Aunt, since passed away, was the founder of Myopia Research International Foundation (MIRF) and her younger brother, a reknowned psychologist,(author of "Winner's & Loser's") made a fortune on VISX (buying in $4 pre-FDA approval). Below are some post's from SNRS thread which should clarify the REVOLUTIONARY procedure SNRS is coming out with. Both posts below are absolutely true and factual. For more DD, go to SNRS post #760 and follow all links- you will be amazed...Regards, Skane
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To: +Rainier Trinidad (619 )
From: +EmuGreg Monday, Apr 6 1998 2:56PM ET
Reply # of 1077
Here is a great post done previously by our wonderful friend on the AOL board, CakeBiz that was a point by point response to Cheesebreath, that you may want to re-read:
Subject: POINT BY POINT REPLY
Date: Mon, Mar 16, 1998 08:15 EST
From: CakeBiz
Message-id: <19980316131501.IAA27351@ladder03.news.aol.com>
Here is a point by point reply to the INACCURACIES WHICH PLAGUE CHEESEBOY 1'S POST:
Cheesebreath >>When Ophthalmology times says that Sunrise has problems I would tend to believe it until proven otherwise by an equal or more dependable and trustworthy souce.>>
Cake--->While Ophthalmology Times certainly is an important publication in the industry, Ocular Surgery News seems to be the front-runner for ophthalmic surgeons on the cutting edge of technology. Their March 1 cover story features LTK. The Ophthalmology Times article is simply the opinion of ONE individual and not the opinion of Ophthalmology Times.
Cheesebreath->> LTK had prolific regression when I last followed Sunrise----and I mean prolific.>>
Cake-->The only time LTK had prolific regression was when it was CONTCT MODE and that is AGES OLD information. That is when SUMMIT was using CONTACT MODE LTK. When you use more energy in CONTACT MODE, that results in scarring, necrosis of the corneal tissue and regression.
Cheesebreath-->>Summit was in Hyperopia clinical trials for LTK themselves with a holmium laser just like Sunrise-----AND THEY ABANDONED THE TRIALS. DOES THAT MEAN ANYTHING TO ANYONE?>>
Cake-->Summit abandoned the studies because their LTK was CONTACT MODE, AND CONTACT MODE DOES NOT WORK, as stated above.
Cheesebreath-->>Sure it is possible that Sunrise figured out a way to get around the tremendous regression that LTK suffers from......I'd like to know how they did it.>>
Cake--->Simple. SUNRISE LTK IS NON CONTACT MODE - BIG DIFFERENCE. It is also highly successful due to the rigid drying protocol that is being used. Sunrise is also very particular about their patient population. You must be 40+ years and .75 to 2.5 hyperopic. The procedure is not done indiscriminately. For your information, the regression curve for the approved excimer laser is IDENTICAL to the regression curve for the LTK units. All result in
an initial over correction followed by a period of regression which is predictable but minimal after six months and negligible after one year.
Cheesebreath--->>Additionally, if the LTK procedure is so gee golly great, why does Sunrise restrict its use to 3.00 diopters of hyperopia (I tend to believe Sunrise does the bulk of their procedure on 1.00 and 2.00 diopters).>>
Cake--->Actually the studies are up to 2.5 dIopters, however, in that small range, there are 36 million hyperopes. Beyond 2.5, there are not that many additional patients. You should also know, however, that current studies outside the U.S. indicate that Sunrise can extend the range up to 4 diopters of correction. These results were recently presented at major ophthalmic meetings and shall be presented agbain at ASCRS in San Diego next month. Maybe
that's why sunrise LTK is "so gee golly great". Or maybe its the fact that the cost of the procedure is less than half of the VISX excimer procedure, or maybe it's the fact that the Sunrise LTK lasers only cost $200,000 compared to $500,000 for the VISX laser. Maybe this is why the sun is shining on Sunrise! O maybe
it's because the industry recognizes that there are TWICE AS MANY HYPEROPES AS MYOPES. The companies treating myopes with excimer lasers have tremendous competition - witness the recent FDA approval of the Autonomous laser. Sunrise's NON CONTACT MODE LTK, once approved should have NO COMPETITION in terms of cost, simplicity, safety and patient acceptance of the procedure. And, again, the Sunrise LTK patient population is
DOUBLE that of myopes!
Cheesebreath--->>And NO, the eye does not need to be cut in order to correct Hyperopia with the Visx STAR laser system. What is being done is a "donut shaped" ablation is made on the Cornea with the excimer. There is no cutting, just ablation with the excimer laser.>>
Cake--->This sounds like the PRK procedure which has almost been abandoned because of extreme discomfort by the patient, and takes three days for healing! Frontal ablation is painful! Recovery for Sunrise LTK is a matter of MINUTES! The other excimer treatment for hyperopia, hyperopic LASIK, involves substantial risk. If you cut wrong, you can take the cap completely off. There are problems of lost cap, crinkled caps and an improper bed and irregular
astigmatism. And the redo rate can be as high as 10%. Not to mention that the subsequent glare is a real bummer for patients. Hyperopic LASIK in high ranges can result in ectasia (center bulging forward) of the central cornea.
Cheesebreath--->>I would have to see 2 year follow up on TODAYS LTK and TODAYS LTK PATIENTS before I would believe ANYBODY regarding LTK and the
regression issue.>>
Cake--->Sunrise LTK has studies indicating stability from one to four years. In fact these studies are being made available to interested ophthalmic surgeons prior to FDA approval.
Cheesebreath--->>BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL FOLKS THIS STOCK IS NOT UNDERVALUED EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN SMOKING CRACK AND DROPPING ACID AT THE SAME TIME. LOL >>
Cake--->I believe prior to approval Summit was trading at approximately 650 times earnings. Or perhaps you are just concerned about the fact that nearly 10% of the stock in VISX is SHORT interest. As an investor, that would concern me. With Autonomous about to gain final approval, 4 additional excimer laser companies seeking approval for more advanced excimer lasers, the kera vision intrastromat ring and Starr Surgical's ICL, the competition VISX will
face in the myopic market is going to heat up substantially.
Next time you decide to trash a company, do your homework first. Also, the fact that you are LONG THE COMPETITION sort of undermines your argument, wouldn't you say?
Accordind to your posts on the VISX boards, you hold a "sizeable" position in VISX.
Frankly, I'm glad Sunrise is garnering so much attention these days. The simplicity, safety and efficacy of the Sunrise LTK is what will bring this to market AT WARP SPEED, WITNESS THE FDA'S APPROVAL FOR SAME DAY TREATMENT OF THE COMPANION EYE! When another company can step up to the plate with that kind of track record, then we'll have something to talk about.
Regards,
Cake
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To: +Nanny (132 )
From: +Nanny Tuesday, Oct 28 1997 6:35PM ET
Reply # of 1077
Hello, Friends from all across the fruited plain! I am going to try and share with you one of the best kept secrets in the Ophthalmology industry. I will try to disguise my irrational exuberance! Here goes!
First I must tell you what an honor it was to meet some of the most fabulous people in the world. Dr. Akers and his staff are really caring and devoted people. I appreciate all the work and effort they are putting forth for the advancement of this technology.
Dr. Akers gave us some comparisons of the PRK and the LTK. The PRK/Lasik is about $2500 per eye. The Excimer Laser machine cost $500,000. Maintenance per year is approximately $100,000. $125 per case "disposable head" for every procedure is also paid. A $250 Royalty fee for Pillar Point agreement is paid to the company. Small practices are getting killed now and Medicare is wanting to pay less and less!
With the LTK, the fee will be $500 to $750 per eye. The Holium Laser, which is Sunrise's laser, is $200,000. This solid state laser is almost maintenance free and it's approximately $100 per eye paid to Sunrise.
The Lasik is very patient and surgeon unfriendly and the patient may be uncomfortable for 4 days or more, the learning curve is steep and is borderline profitable.
The LTK is simple to master, is performed in the office, is patient and surgeon friendly, the procedure takes less than 3 seconds and does not hurt. It is also very profitable.
The Lasik is $2500 per eye and, again, the LTK will only cost the patient $500 to $750 per eye and results are almost instant.
Ophthalmologist will embrace the LTK and it has come just in time to rescue the Ophthalmology business as Medicare is cutting fees big time! The U. S. market size is at least 36 million patients or 72 million eyes. If we only get 10% market penetration, that's 7.2 million eyes or 720 million dollars for Sunrise!
Dr. Akers told us of the progress with the FDA. The FDA just approved another 100 patients to be done before Phase III. Now he has to allow 6 months before the second eye can be done, it will get to 3 months between procedures soon and will eventually be able to do both eyes at the same time!
We were introduced to a gentleman by the name of Arthur. Arthur had the procedure done 7 days ago and he told us of how wonderful it is to actually see peoples faces. He looked at his watch and told us the time! He was a very happy camper, needless to say. Arthur is the one I told you about previously that had to wear glasses to shave. He is not wearing glasses anymore and he's only had one eye done and his only question was "when can I do the other one?"!!!
When Dr. Akers was asked about the patents for this technology, he told us that this is not his area of expertise but that the patents are pretty tightly boxed and that everything is covered with all kinds of claims and intellectual properties. The company has the right people around them. The Holium technology can be used on a lot of types of tissue in other areas of medicine and is being pursued. Imagine corrective procedures on the ear to replace the hearing aide or removing wrinkles without surgery!!! The future can be unlimited!!!
It is a science how this procedure works. The first patient was brought into the room and seated in front of the machine. She had had her eye propped open with some kind of wire looking thing. The eye has to be open for 2 minutes to dry. The machine was a Sunrise Ophthalmic Laser Sun 1000. (I was standing right there and got it right off the machine, for what it's worth.) He told us that he would apply 8 spots to the cornea. The cornea has a round like dome effect. I saw 8 red blinking lights that were spots on her eye. Dr. Akers then programmed the machine with all kinds of numbers. (I think this is where the science part comes in.) She received 7 pulses within 1.4 seconds and then 7 pulses again for a total of 2.8 seconds total. THAT WAS IT!!! THIS PATIENT'S VISION HAD BEEN CORRECTED IN THIS FEW MINUTES TO WHERE SHE DID NOT NEED GLASSES TO READ ANYMORE!!!
Her name was Sally. She thought he had not done it on her eye. Then she was given an eye chart and she started to read line by line. As a few seconds would pass, she could read another line and another line and another line and each line was getting smaller and smaller. She was in tears and said she couldn't believe this had happened to her. Then she exclaimed "this is the best thing that has ever happened to me!" I have never felt such excitement for someone in my life! We then looked at her eye through another machine, an eye machine that magnified the eye. I could see 8 white dots that will disappear in 4 to 7 days. Sally's left eye was done!!!
The next patient was a man that was having his "distance" vision corrected. Dr. Akers did the same thing to him and, voila, he was DONE!!! He said he felt a little stinging sensation but no pain. His vision had been corrected!
Samantha was the next patient. Dr. Akers did the same thing to her and, again, she thought he had not done anything because she did not feel anything. She told her daughter that it had not worked on her but she had not looked at the eye chart yet! SHE SAID SHE FELT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! Since the male patient had felt "a little something" and the female patients had felt absolutely nothing, it just proved to me that women CAN tolerate pain better than men!!! Samantha started to read the eye chart and SHE AND HER DAUGHTER COULD NOT BELIEVE THEIR EYES!!!!
There was a total of six patients done on this night. EACH ONE HAD THE SAME RESULTS: INSTANT CORRECTION AND READING WITHOUT GLASSES!!! NO PAIN!!! NO INCONVENIENCE!!! NO HOSPITALIZATION!!! NO HEALING TIME!!! Am I sounding irrationally exuberant now? I am!!!
I've been telling everyone I meet about what I saw that evening. Some people look at me like I just came out of a covered wagon or something but, when you see it with your own eyes, you sort of accept it as fact!!! I saw it!!! It is a fact that this procedure does exactly what you've been told it will do....and more!!! How does that song go...You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet!!!
Now, do you want to just sit there and do nothing or do you want to participate in one of the greatest opportunities to come along since Presstek came at $5 with three splits since then!!!
Think about it!!! You walk in with glasses and, after a few minutes, you walk out without glasses!! How amazing is that???
Nite, nite! Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite!!!
Nanny
PS There was someone from a securities firm there also. He was considering whether to recommend this stock or not. What do you think? Will he?
|
