SBIR Phase I: Feasibility of The Use of a Debris Cartridge in an External Drainage Device

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of the use of a debris cartridge in an implant to prevent obstruction in debris-releasing glaucomas, such as uveitic, pigment-dispersion, and pseudoexfoliation glaucomas. Glaucoma is a group of chronic eye diseases that result in permanent vision loss for millions of suffers in the US alone. The innovation of this device lies in its potential ability to provide predictable, adjustable and personalize care to minimize disease progression. However, the device requires a filter to prevent infection that may clog overtime, especially with debris-releasing glaucomas. This Phase I research project will test the feasibility of a novel filter to prevent clogging and its safety in an animal model for debris-releasing glaucoma. The validation of the cartridge will provide the option for glaucoma suffers that may have been otherwise excluded from the advantage that this implant would provide. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be, if successful, a more effective treatment for patients with an advanced, cumbersome and difficult to treat type of glaucomas. In 2015, the US glaucoma market is estimated to be over $2 billion and our addressable market, glaucoma surgical therapies, is estimated to be $534M. The incidence for glaucoma increases with age, and as the baby boomer population gets older, there will be a growing need for glaucoma treatments. Debris-releasing glaucomas are especially difficult to treat and can affect children. These patients often are required to endure invasive surgeries throughout their lives that are difficult to manage with current therapies. If successful, our novel device and cartridge would radically change the treatment paradigm of glaucoma, providing the first personalized, long lasting, and adjustable therapy that can treat the most advanced cases of glaucoma. Ultimately, the advancements with the filter will minimize the risk of blindness and improve the quality of life for glaucoma patients.