Retina Implant AG Clinical Trial Results Presented for the First Time at Leading French Ophthalmology Congress

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PARIS, May 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Retina Implant AG, the leading developer of subretinal implants for patients blinded by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), today announced that Walter-G Wrobel, CEO of Retina Implant AG, presented results from the Company's clinical trial for the first time in France at the 120th Congress of the French Society of Ophthalmology (SFO). The presentation took place on Monday, 12 May, and was one of 20 presentations in the oral communications session, "Retine Medicale." 

In his podium presentation titled, "Voir avec une puce sous-retinienne dans la vie de tous les jours," Wrobel shared results from Retina Implant's clinical trials in which nearly 40 patients blinded by RP were implanted with the Alpha IMS subretinal implant. The majority of patients implanted with the device regained a level of useful vision for daily life that enabled them to recognize faces, distinguish mid-sized objects such as telephones and read signs on doors. Retina Implant's clinical trial results have been published twice in the renowned peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences and were the basis for the receipt of CE mark of the Alpha IMS subretinal microchip.

"France is home to some of the world's leading eye disease specialists, making it a priority for Retina Implant to educate and train new, potential French clinical partners on our technology," said Walter-G Wrobel, CEO of Retina Implant AG. "We were thrilled for this opportunity to engage in productive discussions about our technology with the distinguished French ophthalmology community and look forward to continuing the dialogue."

The Alpha IMS is a 3x3 mm² subretinal microchip with 1,500 electrodes that is implanted below the retina, specifically in the macular region. The device generates artificial vision to those blinded for years by mimicking the function of the photoreceptors within the eye, allowing them to perceive light, detect motion, read letters and perform daily tasks with improved acuity and mobility. Retina Implant received CE mark for the device in July 2013, making it the first subretinal implant to obtain CE mark for distribution in the European Union.                                                                                        

The French Society of Ophthalmology (SFO) is comprised of 7,000 society members and more than 4,500 ophthalmologists. The SFO aims to research all scientific problems related to vision, eye health and ophthalmology. Each year, the SFO hosts an annual congress in addition to publishing one to two scientific reference books and a monthly journal. The 120^th Congress was held at the Palais des Congres in Paris, France, and hosted more than 100 exhibitors and many symposia in partnership with the SFO, including Retina Implant AG.

To learn more about Retina Implant AG visit booth #T33 in Hall Ternes. For more updates from the congress, please follow us on Twitter @RetinaImplant: http://www.twitter.com/RetinaImplant.

About Retina Implant AG
Retina Implant AG is the leading developer of subretinal implants for partially sighted and blind patients. After extensive research with German university hospitals and institutes which began with a large grant from the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education in 1996, Retina Implant AG was founded by Dr. Eberhart Zrenner, professor of Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Germany and his colleagues in 2003 with private investors with the goal of developing the first fully-functioning electronic retinal implant to restore useful vision to the blind. Retina Implant began implanting in human patients in 2005, and started a second multi-center clinical trial in 2010. In July 2013, Retina Implant's wireless subretinal implant technology, Alpha IMS, received CE mark. To learn more, visit http://www.retina-implant.de/. 

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SOURCE Retina Implant AG