LISBON, Portugal--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CorNeat Vision, an Israeli ophthalmic medical devices startup, announced today it has completed the design and development stage of its revolutionary cornea implant (CorNeat KPro / Keratoprosthesis), an associated implantation tool and dedicated manufacturing process. Following solution validation in NZW rabbits, the company is currently initiating formal biocompatibility and safety tests toward first implantation in Humans by mid-2018. The solution will be exposed for the first time to selected members of the Ophthalmic community at the XXXV European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Congress (ESCRS) in Lisbon, Portugal October 7th-11th, 2017.
The CorNeat KPro implant is a patent-pending synthetic cornea that utilizes advanced cell technology to integrate artificial optics within resident ocular tissue. The CorNeat KPro is produced using nanoscale chemical engineering that stimulates cellular growth. Unlike previous devices, which attempted to integrate optics into the native cornea, the CorNeat KPro leverages a virtual space under the conjunctiva that is rich with fibroblast cells that heals quickly and provides robust long-term integration. Combined with a novel and simple 30-minute surgical procedure, the CorNeat KPro provides an esthetic, efficient, scalable remedy for millions of people with cornea-related visual impairments and is far superior to any available biological and synthetic alternatives.
A short animated movie that demonstrates the implantation and integration of the CorNeat KPro device to the human eye is available in the following link: www.corneat.com/product-animation.
"Corneal pathology is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide with 20-30 million patients in need of a remedy and around 2 million new cases/year, said CorNeat Vision CEO and VP R&D, Mr. Almog Aley-Raz. "Though a profound cause of distress and disability, existing solutions, such as corneal transplantation, are carried out only about 200,000 times/year worldwide. Together, corneal transplantation, and to a much lesser extent artificial implants (KPros), address only 5%-10% of cases, "There exists an urgent need for an efficient, long-lasting and affordable solution to corneal pathology, injury and blindness, which would alleviate the suffering and disability of millions of people. We are very excited to reach this important milestone in the development of our solution and are confident that the CorNeat KPro will enable millions to regain their sight”, he added.
"The groundbreaking results obtained in our proof of concept which is backed by conclusive histopathological evidence, are extremely encouraging. We are entering the next phase with great confidence that CorNeat KPro will address corneal blindness just like IOLs (Intra Ocular Lens) addressed cataract", commented Dr. Gilad Litvin, CorNeat Vision’s Chief Medical Officer and founder and the CorNeat KPro inventor. "Our novel IP, now cleared by the European Patent Office, ensures long-term retention, robust integration into the eye and an operation that is significantly shorter and simpler than Keratoplasty (Corneal transplantation).
“The innovative approach behind CorNeat KPro coupled by the team's execution ability present a unique opportunity to finally address the global corneal blindness challenge”, added Prof. Ehud Assia., head of the ophthalmic department at the Meir Hospital in Israel, a serial ophthalmic innovator, and a member of CorNeat Vision scientific advisory board. “I welcome our new advisory board members, Prof. David Rootman, a true pioneer in ophthalmic surgery and one of the top corneal specialist surgeons from the University of Toronto, Canada, and Prof. Eric Gabison., who's a leading cornea surgeon at the Rothschild Ophthalmic Foundation research center at Bichat hospital – Paris, France. We are all looking forward to initiating the clinical trial later in 2018."
About CorNeat Vision
CorNeat Vision is an ophthalmic medical device company with an overarching mission to promote human health, sustainability and equality worldwide. The objective of CorNeat Vision is to produce, test and market an innovative, safe and long-lasting scalable medical solution for corneal blindness, pathology and injury, a bio-artificial organ: The CorNeat KPro. For more information on CorNeat Vision and the CorNeat KPro device, visit us at www.corneat.com.
