WAVRE, Belgium — 10 May 2022: iSTAR Medical, a medtech company delivering breakthrough eye care solutions to patients, today announced that it has continued its commercial rollout expansion for MINIject® to Switzerland. MINIject® is iSTAR Medical’s minimally-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) implant and currently the only commercially available supraciliary MIGS device. Swiss patients with open-angle glaucoma are now able to benefit from MINIject®, which has demonstrated meaningful and sustained performance, combined with a favorable safety profile.
The first implants with MINIject® have now been successfully completed at Swiss Visio, Clinique de Montchoisi, Lausanne by Prof. Dr Kaweh Mansouri and Inselspital, Bern by Prof. Dr med. Jan Darius Unterlauft. This follows iSTAR Medical’s recent expansion of MINIject® into the UK in March.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness, affecting around 100 million people worldwide and approximately 10 million in Europe alone.[1][2] MIGS represents the most promising and fastest-growing glaucoma therapy, due to its enhanced safety profile compared to traditional surgery.[1]
Prof. Dr Kaweh Mansouri, Glaucoma Specialist (Lausanne) commented:
Glaucoma is a growing problem in the increasingly ageing Swiss population, with glaucoma incidence rising from 2% of people over the age of 50 to 5-8% in those over 70. Access to MINIject will now enable me to offer a novel and safe minimally-invasive surgical approach to my patients, deferring more invasive surgery, and preserving vision for longer.
Prof. Dr med. Jan Darius Unterlauft (Bern) commented:
I am delighted to be able to offer MINIject to patients currently living with open-angle glaucoma. This innovative MIGS device, with its distinctive STAR material, provides a clear benefit to my patients to achieve the right balance of meaningful intraocular pressure reduction with favourable safety, sustained over the longer-term.
Michel Vanbrabant, CEO of iSTAR Medical, commented:
Following our recent expansion in the UK, our roll out into Switzerland further realises our commitment to provide patients and surgeons across Europe access to MINIject, currently the only commercially available MIGS device targeting the supraciliary space. With the timely addition of Switzerland, we are on track in our mission to preserve the vision of glaucoma patients throughout Europe.
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. For more information, please visit: www.istar-medical.com
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.[1][2] IOP reduction, through medication or surgery, helps delay disease progression.[3] Medication is generally the first line treatment, but the progressive addition of multiple drops can burden patients with side effects, compliance challenges and costs.[1][3] Invasive surgery can present risks with irreversible complications and often requires long-term patient management.[1][3] MIGS is the most promising and fastest-growing glaucoma therapy due to its enhanced safety profile.[1] We believe MINIject® may become a leading MIGS device with its promising long-term efficacy and safety.
[1] Market Scope, “2021 Glaucoma Surgical Device Market Report”, July 2021. https://www.market-scope.com/pages/reports/267/2021-glaucoma-surgical-device-market-report
[2] Jonas JB, Aung T, Bourne RR et al. “Glaucoma”. Lancet 2017; 390: 2083–93
[3] “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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