Auritec is a privately held clinical stage drug delivery company with offices in Santa Monica, CA and a laboratory in Pasadena, CA. The company was founded in 2002 by Thomas J. Smith MD, the developer of the Vitrasert® ganciclovir intravitreal implant which was approved by the FDA in 1995. Since its incorporation, Auritec has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health, and has active programs in infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, gynecology, cardiovascular disorders, pain management, and psychotic disorders. Auritec's drug delivery technologies are covered by broad intellectual property protection and have demonstrated sustained-release drug delivery profiles for a broad range of molecules in vitro, and in animals and human trials.