The Israeli startup CorNeat Vision has received approval to conduct clinical trials of a synthetic cornea that bio-integrates with the human eye.
The Health Ministry-approved trial of the CorNeat KPro will be run at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva on 10 patients suffering from corneal blindness who are either not candidates for or have experienced one or more failed cornea transplants, the company announced last week.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
The CorNeat KPro implant is designed to replace deformed, scarred or opacified corneas and restore the vision of corneal blind patients immediately following implantation. The lens of the device is designed to integrate with ocular tissue using a patented synthetic non-degradable nanofabric skirt, which is placed under the conjunctiva.
Dr. Gilad Litvin, chief medical officer at CorNeat Vision and the inventor of the KPro device, said the implantation procedure is "relatively simple" and takes less than an hour.
"We expect it will enable millions of blind patients around the world, even in areas where there is no corneal practice nor culture of organ donation, to regain their sight," Litvin said.
The first in-human implant of the CorNeat KPro will be led by head of Beilinson's Ophthalmology Department, Professor Irit Bahar, who called the technology behind the KPro "key to turning the tide on global blindness."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
