MILAN, Italy, Sept. 5, 2012-- Retina Implant AG, the leading developer of subretinal implants for patients blinded by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), today announced that results from the Company's second human clinical trial will be presented at the 12th EURETINA Congress, in Milan, 6-9 September.
On Friday, 7 September at 16:45 CEST Professor Eberhart Zrenner, director and chairman of the Institute for Ophthalmic Research at the Centre for Ophthalmology of the University of Tuebingen, Germany and lead clinical trial investigator for Retina Implant AG, will present preliminary data obtained to-date from the Company's second human multi-centre clinical trial taking place in Germany, the UK and Hong Kong.
"We are encouraged by the results achieved in our second human clinical trial thus far as they represent an impactful advance in Retina Implant's technology that could greatly enhance the quality of life for people with retinitis pigmentosa, an incurable, blinding disease," said Professor Eberhart Zrenner, founding director of the Institute for Ophthalmic Research in Tuebingen, Germany. "We look forward to sharing our team's discoveries about the use of subretinal implants in retinitis pigmentosa patients with the ophthalmic community at this important industry conference."
Retina Implant's subretinal implant technology has been in clinical trials since 2005 and consists of a 3x3 mm2 microchip with 1,500 electrodes implanted below the retina, specifically in the macular region. Results from the Company's first human clinical trial published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B in 2010 showed that placement of the implant below the retina provided optimum visual results, allowing patients to recognize foreign objects and to recognize letters to form words.
The Company's second human clinical trial began inGermany in May 2010 and recently expanded into sites outside of Germany. Unlike the first trial, patients involved in the second clinical trial are implanted with a wireless device designed to remain in the eye permanently. Patients' visual experiences are recorded in both the laboratory and home settings.
"The feedback we received from our presentations at the recent Retina International conference was overwhelmingly positive. With 29 patients implanted with our subretinal microchip to-date, we have come a long way since our journey began to restore useful vision to patients affected by retinitis pigmentosa," said Walter-G. Wrobel, Ph.D, CEO of Retina Implant AG. "We look forward to continuing the momentum we've achieved in the clinical trials thus far and to making this technology commercially available so that more patients can regain vision after decades of darkness."
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is one of the most common forms of inherited retinal degenerations affecting 1 in every 3,000-4,000 people in Europe. A progressive condition that gets worse over time, RP typically causes severe vision problems in adulthood. Retinal implants represent tremendous promise for enabling RP patients to regain sight.
Congress attendees interested in learning more about Retina Implant's ground-breaking technology, please visit the Company's booth #P393.
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