Glaucoma project, Vivid White, has been awarded $1 million in funding from MTP Connect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program.
The team have developed a device that will provide a viable device for people suffering with glaucoma. The novel micro-fluidics ocular surgical implant is designed to protect the eye, and the external tissues around it, from a build-up of fluid pressure that might otherwise lead to blindness.
The grant was announced by the Federal Minister for Health, the Hon Mark Butler, and will go towards helping to progress the research that is investigating the surgical implant.
“The microfluidic properties of the implant being assessed are optimised to work with the eye’s tissue response mechanisms to create lasting and reliable surgical outcomes,” said Project Lead, A/Prof Michael Coote.
From left VividWhite Managing Director and co-founder Andrew Batty and Project Lead, A/Prof Michael Coote.
Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease and one of the most common causes of preventable blindness. The disease affects more than 300,000 Australians and 60.5 million people worldwide.
Findings from a recent clinical trial showed participants with severe glaucoma achieved a predictable IOP reduction to a safe target pressure, low enough to treat their glaucoma and avoid hypotony (excessively low pressure). The study also demonstrated the VividWhite Glaucoma Implant was comfortable and safe for patients and reduced several of the complications associated with glaucoma treatment.
VividWhite Managing Director, and co-founder Andrew Batty, said, “The innovative and patent protected device has exceeded our expectations and we are really pleased to be working with so many talented people that have made it possible to innovate and engineer this micro/nano-technology device in Australia.”
The Vivid White team
The latest funding boost will go towards supporting a Phase 2 multi-centre clinical study that is scheduled to start at the end of the year, as well as facilitating the next stage of device manufacturing.
The research led by A/Prof Coote and Vivid White is being developed with the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, University of Melbourne, Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) and Lincoln Consulting Group.
For more information about the Vivid White project visit https://vividwhite.com.au
