BioPhotas Inc. in Anaheim plans to tackle the Holy Grail of perpetual, nonhealing wounds with its light therapy device Celluma. It’s a new area for the company, whose device has been approved for treating skin conditions and musculoskeletal pain.
“The next trial is for diabetic peripheral neuropathy—nerve damage leading to numbness, loss of sensation,” said Chief Executive Patrick Johnson. Loss of sensation due to diabetes is a special concern, given that such patients are most likely to develop foot ulcers and need amputations.
The company plans to complete the approximately 60-patient study this year and submit data to the Food and Drug Administration early next year. It also hopes to apply to start next year on a study on patients with diabetic foot lesions, an open sore that’s slow to heal due to loss of sensation, and poor blood circulation caused by diabetes. More than 80% of amputations begin with foot ulcers, according to the American Diabetes Association.
BioPhotas has nine FDA-approved indications, including three in skin care—including an indication for full-face wrinkles that was cleared last month—and six in pain management. Its device is approved as a dermal wound-healing device in Europe.
Johnson said the company is fully funded by high net-worth private investors and two family offices, and that it has no plans to raise additional capital. “The company has and will continue to generate operating capital to fund our near-term regulatory ambitions.”
BioPhotas will increase its work base this year from 13 full-time employees to 20, hiring mostly sales representatives. Its Anaheim headquarters covers 10,000 square feet.
NASA Tech
The Celluma series products, which are based on NASA research, deliver blue, red and near-infrared light energy to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal and skin conditions. The longer the wavelength of the light, the deeper the penetration.
NASA originally developed the technology for astronauts who became injured or ill on long space flights. Gravity is necessary for normal cell growth and wound healing, according to NASA studies. In response, it developed light-emitting diode technology using light to stimulate basic energy processes in mitochondria, the energy-producing power generators of cells.
“The base technology is public. Our proprietary technology is in the [device] interface,” said Johnson, noting that it’s the blend of specific wavelengths of light energy delivered to tissue that achieves therapeutic benefits.
Blue light has the shortest wavelength and is used to treat surface conditions, like acne and eczema. Red light penetrates about two to eight millimeters below the surface to the dermis layer—the thick layer of living tissue below the epidermis that’s home to collagen and elastin, two essential proteins necessary for skin health—reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
Infrared light reaches subcutaneous tissue that helps protect bones and muscles from damage, and is used to treat musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis, muscle and joint pain and muscle spasm.
Its device, which he said is “shaped like a big Band-Aid,” blends all three types of light using proprietary algorithms to treat different conditions.
Johnson wouldn’t disclose revenue figures. He said the company gained profitability last year, sales split approximately 60% to 40% between skincare and pain management. He said sales tripled over the past three years and that he anticipates revenue to grow five-fold this year.
The company received European CE Mark approval for wound healing last year and plans to ramp up marketing in the spring.
Beginnings
Johnson founded BioPhotas in 2011 and says he’s not a traditional entrepreneur. He was chief business development officer and executive vice president of surgical product manufacturer Pro-Dex Inc. in Irvine.
The company raised $3 million since it first presented at the Launch Pad panel of Aliso Viejo-based accelerator Octane in 2012.
“Series A came in several tranches … [it took us] four years and $3 million to reach profitability,” Johnson said.
He said the company wasn’t like most startups that revolve around a single product or a technology for a single market, but to “build a profitable operating platform that could self-fund advanced clinical [programs]. We were acting like a much bigger company,” he said.
BioPhotas received initial FDA clearances in January 2013 for not one, but six indications comprised mostly of musculoskeletal conditions, and one skin condition: acne.
