An artificial cornea developed by an Israeli company has been successfully inserted into the eye of a man who lost his sight ten years ago.
According to a statement from CorNeat Vision, the 78-year-old patient regained his vision after inserting a CorNeat KPro device into the eye.
The company said the implant replaces a deformed, scarred or opacified cornea as it melts with the eye wall. The device is designed to integrate with ocular fabric using a patented non-degradable synthetic nanofabric skirt, which is placed under the conjunctiva.
The procedure was performed January 11 by Professor Irit Bahar, head of the ophthalmology department at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel.
After the procedure, the company reported that the patient was able to recognize his family and read words.
“The moment we took off the bonds was very emotional and important,” Dr Bahar said in a statement. “It is times like this that fulfill our calling as doctors. We are proud to be at the forefront of this exciting and exciting project that will affect the lives of millions. ”
In 2020, CorNeat Vision was allowed to proceed with clinical trials of the artificial cornea on 10 patients with corneal blindness.
Gilad Litvin, MD, co-founder of CorNeat Vision, chief medical officer, and engineer of the CorNeat KPro, said in a statement that being in the room with the patient was a “surreal” experience.
“After years of hard work, seeing a co-worker install the CorNeat KPro easily and seeing another man get back to sight the next day it was electronic and mobile, it was lots of tears in the room, ”Dr Litvin added. “This is an important milestone for CorNeat Vision, a key part of our journey to enable people around the world to enjoy their visual potential.”
Almog Aley-Raz, co-founder of CorNeat Vision, CEO and vice president of research and development, noted in the statement that implantation is the first step in a multinational clinical trial, aiming to be obtaining CE Mark, FDA approval and China NMPA approval.
Aley-Raz noted that a total of 10 patients have been approved for trial at Rabin Medical Center in Israel with 2 additional sites scheduled to open this January in Canada and a further 6 at various stages of the licensing process in France, the United States, and the Netherlands.
“Our first trial includes blinded patients for whom candidates are not fit for – or who have failed one or more corneal resections,” Aley-Raz said in the statement. “With the visual performance of our device, the expected healing time and maintenance, and the inability to carry disease, we plan to begin a second examination later this year with wider indications for our artificial cornea. agree as a first-line treatment, eliminating the use of donor tissue used in full-thickness corneal transplants. “