I-Corps: Team Molecular Artificial Retina

视网膜光感受器细胞的退化是老年性黄斑变性（AMD）、色素性视网膜炎（RP）、糖尿病视网膜病变（DR）等各种疾病的症状之一，因此，本项目的研究重点是减少老年性黄斑变性的影响。随着美国人口老龄化，AMD预计将降低大量公民的流动性和生活质量。这些疾病影响了近1500万美国人，并且几乎没有减缓视力丧失的选择，也没有直接的治疗方法。这项技术，分子人工视网膜（MAR），是一种潜在的治疗这些疾病的方法，并为那些失去了最重要的移动和独立感的人带来了巨大的希望。这项技术的作用是使视网膜细胞对更少的光线更敏感。目前的治疗仅限于营养和行为改变以减缓进展。预期的输送方式是注射;也就是说，注射到光感受器退化的眼睛嵌入到幸存的视网膜神经元的膜中，赋予光敏感性。在NSF I-Corps计划期间，这个I-Corps团队将确定并建立与整个医学领域的潜在合作伙伴的关系。 该团队的目标是达到商业化的最后阶段，包括制造、临床医生/患者营销和分销。 该团队预计从三个不同的客户群中产生收入：1）从自付购买拟议治疗的患者; 2）从使用拟议治疗并寻求私人医疗保险报销的医生（特别是眼科医生）;以及3）从寻求医疗保险报销的医生。

This Innovation Corps Project focuses on a technology to reduce the impacts of age-related macular degeneration.Degradation of the photoreceptor cells of the retina is a symptom of various underlying conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and diabetic retinopathy (DR). As the American population ages, AMD is expected to reduce the mobility and quality of life for large population of citizens. These diseases impact nearly 15 million Americans and there are few options to slow vision loss and no direct treatments. The proposed technology, the Molecular Artificial Retina (MAR), is a potential treatment for these conditions and offers great hope to people who have lost one of the most important senses for mobility and independence. The technology acts to make cells in the retina more sensitive to less light. Current treatment is limited to nutrition and behavioral changes to slow progression. The anticipated mode of delivery is an injectable; that is, injected into the photoreceptor-degenerate eye to embed in the membrane of surviving retinal neurons, imparting light sensitivity.During the NSF I-Corps program, this I-Corps team will identify and establish relationships with potential partners across the medical field. The team's goal is to reach the final stage of commercialization, involving manufacturing, clinician/patient marketing, and distribution. The team anticipates generating revenues from three distinct customer segments: 1) from patients who purchase the proposed treatment out-of-pocket; 2) from doctors (in particular ophthalmologists) who use the proposed treatment and seek reimbursement from private medical insurance; and 3) from doctors who seek reimbursement from Medicare.