MicroOptx
The company’s BG implant shunts aqueous to the tear film without risk of internal infection, and has developed a successful prototype with both bench and animal data.
The device is miniscule—about 1/100 the size of the most commonly implanted glaucoma device. The nanotechnology’s bands are also about 1/3 the size of the smallest bacteria, providing additional barriers to penetration. The central part of the device is hydrophilic hydrogel, which acts as a “shovel” of sorts to “scoop aqueous out to the surface of the eye.”
After 2 weeks, the device has consistent physiologic flow rate to maintain pressure below 12 mm Hg. There was also complete bacterial exclusion after 2 weeks. With the constant aqueous humor on the ocular surface, the implant may also help the 60% of glaucoma patients that develop dry eye, and may be a potential standalone dry eye treatment, Pulling said. Human trials are expected to begin in the next year.
Presenter:
Chris Pulling
Chris was most recently CEO of The Integra Group, a contract medical research organization he founded in 2002, until its recent successful sale to the world’s largest organization in the medical device sector.