ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Glaukos Corporation (NYSE: GKOS), an ophthalmic medical technology and pharmaceutical company focused on novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders and retinal diseases, today announced a significant milestone as its iStent® family of technologies have now been implanted in more than one million procedures worldwide. This market-leading milestone is a testament to the decades of investment from Glaukos as the corporate founder and pioneer of the now well-established micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) marketplace.
“One million iStents implanted is a tremendous accomplishment and I’m grateful to Glaukos for their continued dedication, investment and pioneering spirit to advance the development of innovative glaucoma technologies designed to improve the treatment paradigm for the benefit of patients worldwide,” said Ike Ahmed MD, Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at John A. Moran Eye Center in Utah, United States and Chief Innovation Officer at Prism Eye Institute in Toronto, Canada. “As one of the early adopters, I have experienced first-hand how iStent, as the first MIGS device, and subsequent generations have fundamentally revolutionized the way we think and treat glaucoma over the last decade. Today, the disease state is more manageable, and we are intervening earlier with micro-invasive surgical options. It’s been an incredible journey thus far and I’m excited to see what the future holds for our glaucoma patients.”
“iStent technologies have allowed me to change the way I treat my patients for the better,” said John Berdahl, MD, Vance Thompson Vision, South Dakota. “Before the introduction of iStent and MIGS, we were limited to eye drops, which we know to be problematic for patients, or invasive surgery that carried more risk than needed for mild-to-moderate glaucoma. iStent filled that gap between eye drops and invasive surgery. In my practice today, iStent inject W is my most commonly used surgical option for glaucoma patients undergoing cataract surgery. We now have patient data out past 9 years in my practice showing the iStent is still effective and safe at lowering IOP and reducing medications. I’m eagerly anticipating the exciting future innovations from Glaukos.”
“I am proud of this tremendous achievement for our company and the MIGS marketplace, reflecting decades of investment and successful advancement of our strategic vision to transform the treatment of chronic, debilitating eye diseases through development of novel, sustainable therapies,” said Thomas Burns, Glaukos chairman and chief executive officer. “I would like to recognize our customers and employees around the world who have poured countless hours into making this market-leading achievement a reality and am grateful for their continued support going forward as we strive to create transformative platform technologies designed to improve the standard-of-care and meet unmet patient needs.”
Glaukos is proud to be the corporate pioneer and global market leader in MIGS, with its family of iStent technologies supported by more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, 20 plus years of clinical and commercial experience and more than one million iStent devices implanted worldwide since its inception. The company believes it offers the industry’s most comprehensive offering of minimally-invasive, tissue-sparing glaucoma solutions, supporting its goal to provide a full range of options to fit surgeons’ individual glaucoma treatment algorithms that offer the most favorable short- and long-term benefit-to-risk calculus at every stage of disease progression, from ocular hypertension through refractory disease, and in both combo-cataract and standalone procedures. Glaukos remains dedicated to innovation and bringing customers around the world best-in-class technologies to serve their patients, continuing to invest upwards of 30% of revenue back into R&D, including new product development. A significant number of clinical studies for both current and future products are ongoing, with additional studies commencing in the near future.
About Glaukos
Glaukos (www.glaukos.com) is an ophthalmic medical technology and pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders and retinal diseases. Glaukos first developed Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) as an alternative to the traditional glaucoma treatment paradigm, launching its first MIGS device commercially in 2012, and continues to develop a portfolio of technologically distinct and leverageable platforms to support ongoing pharmaceutical and medical device innovations. Products or product candidates for each of these platforms are designed to advance the standard of care through better treatment options across the areas of glaucoma, corneal disorders and retinal diseases.
About iStent inject W Trabecular Micro-Bypass System (U.S.)
Indication for Use: The iStent inject W Trabecular Micro-Bypass System Model G2-W is indicated for use in conjunction with cataract surgery for the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in adult patients with mild to moderate primary open-angle glaucoma.
Contraindications: The iStent inject W is contraindicated in eyes with angle-closure glaucoma, traumatic, malignant, uveitic, or neovascular glaucoma, discernible congenital anomalies of the anterior chamber (AC) angle, retrobulbar tumor, thyroid eye disease, or Sturge-Weber Syndrome or any other type of condition that may cause elevated episcleral venous pressure.
Warnings: Gonioscopy should be performed prior to surgery to exclude congenital anomalies of the angle, PAS, rubeosis, or conditions that would prohibit adequate visualization of the angle that could lead to improper placement of the stent and pose a hazard.
MRI Information: The iStent inject W is MR-Conditional, i.e., the device is safe for use in a specified MR environment under specified conditions; please see Directions for Use (DFU) label for details.
Precautions: The surgeon should monitor the patient postoperatively for proper maintenance of IOP. The safety and effectiveness of the iStent inject W have not been established as an alternative to the primary treatment of glaucoma with medications, in children, in eyes with significant prior trauma, abnormal anterior segment, chronic inflammation, prior glaucoma surgery (except SLT performed > 90 days preoperative), glaucoma associated with vascular disorders, pseudoexfoliative, pigmentary or other secondary open-angle glaucomas, pseudophakic eyes, phakic eyes without concomitant cataract surgery or with complicated cataract surgery, eyes with medicated IOP > 24 mmHg or unmedicated IOP < 21 mmHg or > 36 mmHg, or for implantation of more or less than two stents.
Adverse Events: Common postoperative adverse events reported in the iStent inject randomized pivotal trial included stent obstruction (6.2%), intraocular inflammation (5.7% for iStent inject vs. 4.2% for cataract surgery only), secondary surgical intervention (5.4% vs. 5.0%) and BCVA loss ≥ 2 lines ≥ 3 months (2.6% vs. 4.2%).
Caution: Federal law restricts this device to sale by, or on the order of, a physician. Please see DFU for a complete list of contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse events.
For more information, visit www.glaukos.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for forward-looking statements contained herein, we caution you that they are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to risks, uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control, that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this press release. These potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the timing and extent to which obtain regulatory approval for investigational products, our ability to successfully commercialize such products, the ability to obtain and maintain adequate financial coverage and reimbursement for our products, and the continued efficacy and safety profile of our products. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors related to Glaukos, and our business are described in detail under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 5, 2022. Our filings with the SEC are available in the Investor Section of our website at www.glaukos.com or at www.sec.gov. In addition, information about the risks and benefits of our products is available on our website at www.glaukos.com. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this press release, which speak only as of the date hereof. We do not undertake any obligation to update, amend or clarify these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities law.