Palomar Medical Technologies has postponed the introduction of its new at-home consumer eye wrinkle laser until next spring due to a lack of commercial quantities of the lotion required for the treatment.

Palomar Chief Executive Officer Joseph P. Caruso said, "The change in the timing of our launch is related to the use of lotion with the laser.The laser is in production, and we are building inventory for the launch. The branding and product positioning are complete and deliver a powerful message.We have distribution partners in place and we will take advantage of the additional time to further prepare our marketing, public relations, and communication plans in support of the spring launch."

This is the only laser with over-the-counter (OTC) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of periorbital wrinkles. OTC clearance allows the laser to be marketed and sold directly to consumers without a prescription.

Palomar had originally teamed with Johnson & Johnson to release the at-home wrinkle device, but announced last October that the partnership was terminated and that Palomar would continue alone. At that time Johnson & Johnson's license to Palomar technology was terminated and all technology and intellectual property rights related to light-based devices developed under the agreement were assigned to Palomar which pledged to continue alone and launch a product in the second half of 2010.

In order to achieve FDA clearance, numerous clinical studies with hundreds of subjects and thousands of treatments were conducted. These studies demonstrated that the laser-based device delivers comfortable, effective, skin and eye safe wrinkle treatment around the eyes.

In a press release last October, Palomar Chief Executive Officer Joseph P. Caruso said, "We have developed game changing technology in the consumer area. Over the past few years we have developed advanced patented technology that allows us to penetrate the home market. Wrinkle treatments using OTC products are a multi-billion dollar market opportunity and we plan on entering that market with our products during the second half of next year..."

Mr. Caruso continued, "We believe that light-based anti-aging applications will one day be an ordinary and necessary part of maintaining a healthy appearance done in the privacy and convenience of the home..."

Source: Palomar Medical Technologies