Science and Medicine
Corporate Overview
NeoVista, Inc. is developing an intraocular epiretinal radiation device intended for the treatment of the wet form of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Wet AMD is the most progressive form of AMD in which neovascular growth from the underlying vascular system invades the retina. These rapidly growing vessels often leak blood and fluid, causing damage to the macula and quickly leading to loss of central vision. Wet AMD is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly in the US with approximately 200,000 new cases annually and a prevalence of approximately 1.5 million patients.
The technology is an intraocular device that delivers and directs radiation to the choroidal vascular bed of the retina. Local delivery of radiation will permit selective treatment of the neovascular lesion while minimizing neurosensory degeneration due to secondary radiation exposure. Ionizing radiation causes changes in the structure of a small fraction of molecules in each exposed cell. Because proliferating cells are usually more sensitive to ionizing radiation than are non-proliferating cells, ionizing radiation is commonly used to retard/stop abnormal proliferation of cells, i.e. cancerous tumors.
The device is currently being utilized in a definitive clinical study to support eventual filing for regulatory approval to market the product in the U.S.
For more information, view the NeoVista, Inc. Corporate Overview.
New Video: The NeoVistaTM Ophthalmic System
(114M .wmv, please allow time for download)
