External and internal intraoperative optical coherence tomography imaging for subretinal material delivery

Unmet Need
Compared to intravitreal injection, subretinal injection is a more direct approach for targeting cells in the subretinal space. This novel device and described methodology will provide a new therapeutic technique for treating vitreo-retinal diseases, especially when gene therapy and/or cell therapy are involved. To date, subretinal delivery has been widely applied by scientists and clinicians as a more precise and efficient route for ocular therapeutic delivery of drugs, genes and cells including stem cells in many degenerative vitreoretinal diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, and Leber’s congenital amaurosis. However, access to the subretinal space currently requires relatively extensive and difficult surgery. The current challenge of directly reaching the subretinal space from outside the eye through opaque structures prevents visualization of the access route, which greatly increases the difficulty and decreases the safety of the procedure.

Technology Overview
The technology is a method, device, and graphical user interface that altogether allow the surgeon to access the subretinal space via an external approach (through the white coat of the eye, without internal eye surgery) with great precision using optical coherence tomography (OCT). The technology also allows the injection or placement of materials (fluids, gels, solids, cells, other materials) into the subretinal space. The surgeon can use the technology to access the subretinal space and create a subretinal "bleb", or small blister-like elevation, in order to facilitate the subsequent steps of retinal implantation surgery. The technology also allows the confirmation that the bleb has been created and the materials have been deposited in the correct location. This technology is distinct from the "conventional" ocular intraoperative OCT designed for use through the pupil and mainly during internal eye surgery in that this device aims to facilitate the creation of an access route to the subretinal space from outside the eye.
 
Stage of Development
Johns Hopkins researchers developed a working prototype and generated proof of concept data. The inventors would like to optimize the graphical user interface before commercialization in order to facilitate easy and proper use by retinal surgeons during procedures.
 
Publications
NA
 

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