WAVRE, Belgium — 31 October 2023: iSTAR Medical, a medtech company delivering breakthrough eye care solutions to patients, today announces that the first patients in Ireland have been implanted with MINIject®, expanding the commercial rollout of the Company’s minimally-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device across Europe.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in Ireland, with the incidence of the condition expected to rise by 33% over the coming decade[1]. Patients in Ireland with open-angle glaucoma will now have available to them, a powerful new treatment option and will be able to benefit from the many advantages offered by MINIject® compared to traditional treatment methods. Currently the only commercially available supraciliary MIGS implant, MINIject® has demonstrated meaningful and sustained performance, combined with a favorable safety profile.
Patients were successfully implanted with MINIject® at the IOES (Institute of Eye Surgery), Mullingar, by Mr. Anish Dhital. This follows iSTAR Medical’s recent expansion of MINIject® into other European countries including Sweden and Norway.
Mr. Anish Dhital, Cataract and Glaucoma Specialist at the IOES (Mullingar) said:
The successful implantation of iSTAR Medical’s MIGS device MINIject® marks another milestone in the advancement of glaucoma treatment in Ireland. Our ability to offer a new glaucoma implant that can significantly and safely lower IOP, and target a new drainage pathway will benefit patients – enabling them to reduce reliance on medication and preserve their vision for longer.
Michel Vanbrabant, CEO of iSTAR Medical, commented:
It is both exciting and validating that one of Ireland’s largest network of eye clinics to offer all ocular sub-specialties, the IOES, has engaged with our technology and we want to thank the clinicians for their commitment. The continuation of our commercial rollout of MINIject® with the recent implantations in Ireland represents iSTAR Medical’s mission to preserve the vision of glaucoma patients around the world. We are proud to be providing more patients with a safe and minimally-invasive treatment for open-angle glaucoma, giving them a sustained and prolonged treatment option. As we continue with our global expansion, we look forward to making MINIject® more widely available to patients.
About iSTAR Medical
iSTAR Medical is committed to delivering breakthrough eye care solutions. Our most advanced product, MINIject®, is approved in Europe for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma – the leading cause of irreversible blindness – and we are aiming to seek market approval in the US. We believe MINIject®’s distinctive tissue-integrating capabilities unlock a safer, and more effective option for patients. We are building an exceptional team and pipeline of potentially leading products such as MINIject® to establish new treatment paradigms in eye care conditions with the highest patient needs.
iSTAR Medical is an independent company which entered a strategic partnership with AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) in July 2022. The collaboration further supports the role of MINIject® in the treatment of glaucoma and accelerates iSTAR Medical’s goal to bring MINIject® to more patients globally while providing AbbVie the opportunity to further expand its diverse eye care portfolio.
About MINIject®
MINIject® is iSTAR Medical’s innovative MIGS device for patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. MINIject® combines the distinctive porous structure of its proprietary STAR material with the power offered by the supraciliary space. As a result, it is designed to enhance natural fluid outflow, reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) and the need for medication, while bio-integrating with surrounding tissue, limiting inflammation, fibrosis and subsequent complications.
About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a progressive disease affecting over 100 million people globally, of which primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form.[2,3] IOP reduction, through medication or surgery, helps delay disease progression.[4] Medication is generally the first line treatment, but the progressive addition of multiple drops can burden patients with side effects, compliance challenges and costs.[3,4] Invasive surgery can present risks with irreversible complications and often requires long-term patient management.[3,4] MIGS is the most promising and fastest-growing glaucoma therapy due to its enhanced safety profile.[3] MINIject is potentially best-in-class for its promising long-term efficacy and safety.
[1] https://upmc.ie/blog/what-is-glaucoma
[2] Jonas JB, Aung T, Bourne RR et al. “Glaucoma”. Lancet 2017; 390: 2083–93
[3] Market Scope, “2021 Glaucoma Surgical Device Market Report”, July 2021.
[4] “European Glaucoma Society Terminology and Guidelines for Glaucoma”, 4th Edition: British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017;101:1-195 https://bjo.bmj.com/content/101/5/73
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