A collaborative research team from Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital in New Delhi, Delhi, India, and Pandorum Technology in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, have developed a breakthrough technology called a ‘liquid cornea’ that is soon moving to human trials.
Give me some background first.
This ‘liquid cornea’ uses tissue-specific exosomes and biomaterials—such as collagen, proteins, and peptides—that imitate human tissue to promote corneal regeneration.
In previous animal trials, the technology had approximately an 80% success rate.
How does it work?
The ‘liquid cornea’ is applied in the form of drops on a patient’s cornea and subsequently solidifies within 10 minutes under visible light, integrating into the patient’s cornea.
Once solidified, the biopolymer within the matrix functions similar to a sacrificial material, allowing for the sustained release of exosomes.
Then what?
As a result, these released exosomes aid in suppressing inflammation, reversing fibrosis, regenerating nerves, and restoring corneal thickness.
Give me the big picture on this.
India has a large burden of bilateral (1.2 million) and unilateral (5-6 million) corneal blindness.
According to the Eye Bank Association of India, more than 1 million corneal transplants are required annually, but only 25,000 are performed.
According to Virender Sangwan, MD, Director of Innovation at Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, “This [liquid cornea] will help reduce the waiting list for transplants [and] address the lack of supply of corneas needed for transplants.”
Anything else?
A bio-printed cornea or liquid cornea could allow patients a chance to regrow damaged corneas with minimal surgical intervention, according to Dr. Sangwan. “It doesn’t need any stitching, we don’t need any donor cornea, and the drop fills the gap like a liquid in a mold,” he stated.
How would this differ from current practice?
While corneal transplants are currently performed with cadaver donors, 40% of the donated corneas do not meet the standards to be transplanted.
As such, Dr. Sangwan noted, “A bioengineered cornea’s advantage is that it is not from another human being, so it won’t get rejected when the transplant happens […] also bioengineered corneas are not limited in supply like donor corneas.”
Significance?
The goal of the liquid corneas are to be used to address all types of corneal scars caused by infections and injuries, according to Dr. Sangwan.
In terms of patient affordability, he highlighted their goal to make this treatment a similar price (if not slightly less expensive) compared to a corneal transplant, which currently starts around $520 USD.
What’s next?
Dr. Sangwan stated that the research team will be applying for Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approval (the equivalent to FDA approval in the United States) in the next 3 to 4 months.
After testing the ‘liquid cornea’ on adult patients, researchers plan on shifting trials to include pediatric patients.