Telor Ophthalmic Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Woburn, Mass., hasacquired exclusive worldwide rights to develop andcommercialize "stress" proteins from the Bowman Gray Schoolof Medicine at Wake Forest University. Stress proteins, alsoknown as "heat shock proteins," are a class of proteins withcytoprotective properties.

The company will investigate the use of the proteins in theprotection of the cornea against injury during surgery.

Surgery on the cornea can correct myopia, which affects about30 percent of the U.S. population. The company estimates thatup to 1.8 million procedures to correct myopia will beperformed annually using new surgical techniques underdevelopment.

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