HCAR - Hershey Center for Applied Research. South Centrals Pennsylvania's Premier Research Park Located Adjacent to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine.

John Edwards, Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Greg Jackson, Chief Scientific Officer

Apeliotus Vision Science

Leasing of HCAR's Building One Technology Suites was completed with the addition of Apeliotus Vision Science, a company developing a diagnostic for the detection of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These suites, supported by the Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania (LSGPA), are flexible wet lab modules with access to HCAR's full amenities and business services. In November 2008 the LSGPA invested $500,000 in Apeliotus Vision Science for to develop and commercialize the diagnostic.

Apeliotus Vision Science is a recent spin-out of Apeliotus Technologies, a Georgia-based company that develops and commercializes medical devices based on university inven¬tions. In the U.S. alone, an alarming 1 in 6 people over age 65 have AMD, a figure that reaches 1 in 3 for people over age 75. AMD is the leading cause of adult vision loss and blindness in developed countries. While there is a growing array of treatment options, there is currently no practical, low-cost method for detecting AMD at the early stages of the disease. Apeliotus Vision Science's objective is to provide a simple, cost-effective tool for early diagnosis of AMD, before patients have suffered significant visual impairment. Apeliotus has secured National Institutes of Health (NIH) and SBIR funding, venture financing, and has begun a clinical study at Penn State, Johns Hopkins and Harvard to validate use of its diagnostic for early AMD.

HCAR's strengths in life sciences and applied research make it an excellent fit for Apeliotus Vision Science to pursue its research and business growth goals.

Testimonial

John Edwards, CEO of Apeliotus Vision Science

Why did you locate your company in Hershey, PA?
The funding from the Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania, combined with the talent and resources available at Penn State Hershey, was the hook for us to locate our company at the Hershey Center for Applied Research. When we saw the excellent lab facilities and gained access to supporting resources, we began to realize that HCAR could be a smart strategic step for Apeliotus Vision Science.

What do you enjoy most about Hershey, PA?
Access - - to America's most prominent research hubs, to a strong and able workforce, to capital and to a university community.

Why locate your company at the Hershey Center for Applied Research (HCAR):
Young companies should start a conversation with HCAR about how they may be able to assist with real estate, access to capital and other critical resources.