Shares of Oculus Innovatie Sciences (NASDAQ: OCLS) were up as much as 21 percent from the previous day’s closing price on Tuesday after the company announced the commercial launch of its wound care product in the United States.

The Petaluma-based company’s Microcyn® wound care gel, which received FDA 510(k) clearance in May of this year, has demonstrated rapid activity against a broad spectrum of infections and has also demonstrated wound healing in chronic and acute wounds in clinical investigational studies. It has been commercialized outside of the United States for the treatment of infected wounds.

“We’re excited to make these products commercially available so quickly after receiving our FDA clearance in May,” said Oculus founder and CEO, Hoji Alimi in a statement. “As well, we are also sampling our new Microcyn hydrogel formulations to U.S. physicians and are preparing to initiate a study of this proprietary hydrogel against other wound gels. We believe this data will provide the evidence necessary for a successful hard launch of the product into the medical community in early 2010.”

The onslaught of the swine flu epidemic in Mexico bolstered first quarter unit sales of the company’s 240-milliliter bottles of the Microcyn hydrogel, which was sold mostly to pharmacies in Mexico.

First quarter unit sales increased 100 percent over the prior year to a monthly average of 57,000 units, up from 35,000 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, and 28,000 in the same quarter last year. Unit sales to hospitals increased 101 percent, partially offset by lower selling prices. Normal unit sales of the 240 mL bottles in the first quarter represent about 38,000 to 40,000 units per month, while the units over that reflect one-time purchases related to the swine flu concerns during the quarter.

Oculus cut its first quarter net loss to $3.5 million, or $0.18 per share, from a net loss of $5.2 million, or $0.33 per share reported in the same period last year. Total revenue for the quarter was $1.8 million, up 52 percent from $1.2 million last year. A 56 percent increase in product revenue, a 37 percent increase in service revenue, and a 40 percent reduction in operating expenses were a few highlights of the quarter over the same period last year.

“In our last earnings call, we provided guidance regarding two objectives to achieve cash breakeven by March 2010 and to achieve annual revenue of $45-to-$60 million by fiscal year 2013 with operating profitability of 20 percent,” said Alimi. “We are reconfirming these targets.”

Oculus is currently sampling the new professional Microcyn Skin & Wound HydroGel formulation to U.S. medical professionals. The OTC version of the HydroGel product will be available to consumers beginning October 2009.

Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc. was first featured as a Buzz Stock of the Day in late May, when the company received marketing clearance from the FDA for Microcyn. Shares spiked from $1.80 to $4.49 that day..