February 17, 2021

BioTissue Expands Health Plan Geographic Footprint in Pennsylvania for Reimbursement Coverage of Prokera Biologic Corneal Bandage

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield joins the ranks of the more than 90 percent of commercial health plans who already offer reimbursement coverage for Prokera® Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane

Miami, FL – February 17, 2021 – BioTissue, Inc., a TissueTech, Inc. company and pioneer in the clinical application of human birth tissue-based products, announced today that Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is now covering Prokera for many ocular uses. This adds to the more than 90 percent of commercial health care plans that provide reimbursement for Prokera, with Highmark representing 3.95 million covered lives.

The Prokera family of products all contain Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane (CAM), designed to preserve the human birth tissue’s structural integrity and functional components. BioTissue’s proprietary cryopreservation process – known as CryoTek®– is designed to optimize the tissue’s innate capabilities and facilitates rapid recovery of ocular surface health.1 Prokera was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003 as a 510(k) medical device and contains the only amniotic membrane designated by the FDA as anti-inflammatory, anti-scarring, and anti-angiogenic on the ocular surface.

“We applaud Highmark’s decision to approve reimbursement for our Prokera portfolio of ophthalmic and oculoplastic products,” said TissueTech co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Amy Tseng, MBA. “It is an honor to be recognized by such an esteemed organization as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and contribute to their members’ health outcomes. Prokera affords network providers a treatment option that has proven to facilitate significantly better clinical results when compared to other standards of care.”2

Prokera is a sutureless biologic corneal bandage comprised of either a single or double layer of CAM positioned between an inner and outer ophthalmic conformer ring. It is inserted between the eyeball and the eyelid to maintain space in the orbital cavity, prevent closure or adhesions, modulate inflammation and related pain, and promote regenerative epithelial healing. There are four Prokera products for physicians to choose from. These include Prokera Classic that acts as a symblepharon ring to maintain orbital space for cases where prevention of closure or adhesion is a concern; Prokera Plus that contains a double layer of CAM to provide additional extra therapeutic benefit; Prokera Slim that utilizes BioTissue’s ComfortRING technology for a lower profile device that contours to the ocular surface; and Prokera Clear that features a 6mm Clear-View™ aperture to provide the patient with improved vision during treatment. Prokera products can be inserted in a physician’s office, outpatient surgery center, or hospital setting.

About BioTissue, Inc.

BioTissue, Inc., a TissueTech, Inc. company, is the market leader in the clinical application of CAM-based products for the treatment of diseases and disorders of the ocular surface. Established in 1997, BioTissue serves an unmet need for better surgical and therapeutic alternatives for helping eye care professionals manage ocular surface conditions, such as keratitis, recurrent corneal erosions, conjunctivochalasis (Mechanical Dry Eye or MDE), pterygium, and severe dry eye. Connect with BioTissue on our Physician Portal (for healthcare professionals only), Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, or through your local sales professional.

About TissueTech, Inc.

TissueTech, Inc., the parent company of BioTissue, Inc. and Amniox Medical, Inc., is a scientific and market leader in the field of regenerative medicine. TissueTech manufactures a broad range of ocular, surgical, wound care, and soft tissue products that are marketed under these subsidiaries. Clinicians have performed more than 600,000 human implants with the company’s products and published more than 380 peer-reviewed studies supporting its products and platform technology. TissueTech is committed to an unwavering integrity culture that places our patients’ safety and clinical outcomes above all else. Learn more at biotissue.com.

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References
Corneal Nerve Regeneration after Self-Retained Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane in Dry Eye Disease Journal of Ophthalmology Volume 2017, Article ID 6404918, 10 pages; https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6404918